Sealed in Mt Tenkou
by Majah
Summary: [AU]A 'lifetaker' mountain, a girl with the ability to see beyond a mortal should & the devil who lead one of hell's fearsome army, together in a contract which altered the meaning of 'one wish for your soul' deal. [details inside]
1. A Mysterious Cat

"**_Sealed in Mt. Tenkou"_**

By Majah

**Disclaimer:**

I don't own Bleach but I do own the story in this fic and things that are non-Bleach. All the name of places, historical events and other things mentioned which you don't seem to know IRL, are products of my imagination. Any similarities with the actual thing are purely coincidental.

* * *

**Summary:**

**Genre**: Mystery/Spiritual/Romance

'**_A wish in exchange for your soul.'_**

…was something overly used in movies and novels. But was that…as simple as it sounded to be?

Hinamori Momo was a quiet and sweet girl living with her sickly grandmother near an old shrine at the foot of Mt. Tenkou; a mountain rumored to have taken many lives of people who had gotten lost and weren't able to return. Even so, much was yet to be proven and everything was reduced to nothing more than folklore and urban legend.

Until one day…in this girl's life…something happened which altered her psyche and enabled her to see things she wasn't supposed to see…

…in this mysterious mountain...where **winged beings** sometimes fall from the **sky**…

…in this mysterious mountain…where **cloaked creatures** sometimes emerged from the **earth**…

…in this mysterious mountain…where her view shall be changed as to what truly awaits a person **after death**.

Curiosity took over which lead her into accidentally summoning a high-ranked devil amongst those who came from deep the ground and was granted a rare contract.

A rare contract in result of her unexpected wish as a bargain for her soul…

'**_I want to be you! My wish is to be at your side for as long you live!' _**

Thus, turning things upside down which earned her a pass to enter the gates of hell, **not as a tormented soul**, but as a companion of a certain white-haired devil named Hitsugaya Toushirou who turned out to be a colored officer in hell's fearsome army.

* * *

**Chapter One: "A Mysterious Cat"**

"_Momo-chan! Where are you?" An elderly voice called out. "It is almost night time. I don't want us to stay this long in this path."_

"_Hai! I'm here, Obasan." A little girl with dark hair answered as she skipped on the rocks to catch up with her grandmother._

_The old lady smiled. "Come here, child." She extended her arms at her granddaughter. "You know very well that it is not safe to wander about in these woods."_

_The little girl dived into the frail woman's arms and made a pouting face. "But, Obasan…we lived here all our life, and nothing ever happened to us."_

"_Ma…ma…" She stroked her granddaughter's hair. "…nothing happened to us because we made sure not to cross over that fence." She pointed at the old rickety structure at the side of the narrow dirt road which lead into an abandoned shrine at the foot of the mountain. _

"_Those old legends are just bedtime stories and nothing more." The bright child pointed out. "I don't see anything out of the ordinary whenever we pass by that shrine, nor do I see strange things in Mt. Tenkou's forest. The villagers ought to stop spreading lies that scare people away from our town."_

_As always, her grandmother would only smile. "Fortunate are we, who cannot see…for we won't be burden with the truth behind what was meant to be hidden."_

_And as usual, the little girl would only glance up at her grandmother with a confused look. "No matter how many times you say that, Obasan…I will never understand."_

_The elderly gave a light chuckle. "Maybe someday, child…maybe someday. Now…let's go. If you won't accept my reason about staying out here in the dark, then perhaps a delicious dinner will tempt you to go straight home." _

_At the mention of the word, 'dinner', the little girl's face lit up. "Hai!" She replied cheerfully._

_Both elderly and child continued in the dirt path. But soon after, a few steps before the dirt road ended, the hand little Momo was holding suddenly disappeared._

"_A-ra?" The child looked back only to see her frail grandmother on the ground. "Obasan!" She gasped and ran towards the old woman who was currently holding her chest and grasping for air. "Obasan!" She cried but she didn't get any answer from the elderly. "Obasan!" She hugged her grandmother who was starting to lose consciousness. "Obasan!" With a tear-stricken face, panic overcame the little girl as she looked around her for someone who can help them._

_But no one was there._

"_Obasan! Obasan!" She kept calling out endlessly._

_Until…_

'_**Beep! Beep!...Beep! Beep!..Beep!Beep!'**_

The sound of the small alarm clock filled Hinamori's ears which made her groan and bury herself under her covers. It was six o'clock in the morning and her wake-up call was being persistent.

'_**BEEP BEEP BEEEEEEEEP! BEEP BEEP BEEEEEEEEEEP!'**_

The alarm continued, this time with evenly long and louder tune which was starting to ring inside Hinamori's head.

'_**BE-BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP'**_

"Wai! Alright, already!" She exclaimed as she grabbed the disturbing mechanism and crushed it under her pillow.

Silence overcame her room once more. She slumped back against the comfort of her bed and let her sleepy eyes focus on the cream ceiling above her.

"It's that dream again…" She murmured. "…how many times must it keep rewinding back to that day?"

She closed her eyes and tried to search her memories which only made her frown. "If I am to dream about this everyday then the very least it can do is to go forward as to what happened after Obasan lost consciousness." She pouted with irritation while she hauled herself up into sitting position.

It was true that the beginning part of that reoccurring dream was as clear as day. Unfortunately, the next scenes in the latter part were all blank to her. Even though, it did happen when she was around eight years old, she couldn't remember the exact details of that incident. Maybe her mind wanted her to remember it which eventually caused its manifestation in her dreams. But still, up to this day…a whole solid eight years had passed and she was no longer a child, that incident was still inconclusive.

It was a hot summer's day back then, much like now. She and her grandmother decided to take a walk under the shades of the trees outside. Their small town was located in a remote area near a thick-forested mountain. It was not exactly the most prosperous place but life was quiet and peaceful…

…well, most of the time.

Why say so?

It wasn't the locals fault, or maybe it was…in a way. For rumors don't start from nowhere. When there was smoke, there must be fire. Hence, their little town, despite of being remote, earned many unsure and uneasy thoughts in the hearts of the residents. But what type of rumors were these to gain much reaction from the public?

They were rumors about Mt. Tenkou…utterly disturbing and scary tales about the mysterious mountain. Ever since the old days, it was said that many people who dared to travel inside Mt. Tenkou never returned. Although the mountain was not that big compared to the others in the country, the entwining branches of its huge trees and greenery was something out of the ordinary. Even the thick mist, which surrounded it half way up to the top, was too dense to consider trekking. Still, it was these traits which attracted hobbyist to climb this mountain near their town.

Unfortunately, all of them either had gotten lost or had eventually ended up in some sort of accident which prevented most to return…alive.

Of course, this brought much fear to the residents of the town that different kinds of theories started to rise which earned Mt. Tenkou a reputation of being a 'life taker'. It was said that the mountain was cursed. Some even thought of it as a monster itself in a certain degree. But again, nothing was proven and all was just considered as folklore. The incidents which happened to those who entered the mountain were considered as faulty judgment on the travelers' part since technically, the difficulty of Mt. Tenkou's nature and air pressure was something even expert climbers found to be dangerous.

Hence, the mountain was proclaimed 'off-limits' and a fence was built around its foot to prevent tourists or daredevils to disturb the natural habitat. The tales which surrounded it was reduced to nothing more than urban legend.

So logically, there was nothing supernatural about Mt. Tenkou. It was merely another dangerous place which nature built.

Hinamori had this kind of reasoning about the mysterious mountain ever since she was small and often argued about it with her grandmother.

But…

…**that was before that day happened**.

That day…in her dream…which changed her perception about the mountain altogether.

She still couldn't remember what exactly took place. All she knew that whatever it was, it made her eyes see.

Yes, see…what she couldn't before—things within the mountain's closed world which a normal person would never dream of seeing. They were things that she doesn't have any knowledge of and often asked herself whether they were actually real or not.

They were things she could definitely assume **didn't belong in the living world**.

Hinamori's hazel eyes flickered as her hand started clutching her sheets hard. "That day…" She whispered. "…Obasan somehow lived..." True, enough. The next thing she could remember was waking up on a chair with her grandmother resting on a hospital bed. Apparently, one of the villagers, a middle-aged farmer with his son who took a shortcut via the mountain path to carry his goods home, found them and carried them to the town to get proper aide. It saved her grandmother that day, but the elderly was initially weak and suffered from constant illness. Her beloved Obasan was only able to stay with her for two more years. After that, the frail old woman eventually passed away. Both of her parents were no longer with her and she doesn't have any other living relative, hence, she was finally alone in this world.

Hinamori sighed and started to get out of her bed. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes stared back at her with the same hollow expression as it did at her grandmother's funeral. She was ten back then and she was sixteen now. Six years had past but her usual spirit never actually came back. She smiled every now and then but it wasn't her usual cheer. Slowly, her hand went up to touch the cold mirror. Once again, her grandmother's word came back to her.

'**_Fortunate are we, who cannot see…for we won't be burden with the truth behind what was meant to be hidden.'_**

"What was meant to be hidden…" She murmured then glanced at the open window near her bed. It was a direct view of Mt. Tenkou. Amongst all villagers, their house was the one nearest to the mountain. Somewhat detached from the town with their closest neighbor about fifteen kilometers away, she grew up in a world with the mysterious mountain as her playground. As a child, she would sneak out of the house and go up to the abandoned shrine at the foot of the mountain beyond the fenced boundary. Yes, these were the times she disobeyed both her grandmother and their mayor's rule secretly. It was one of her strong proofs that the tales which surrounded the mountain were nothing more than folklore, because all this time that she had spent her lazy afternoons at the old shrine, nothing bad ever happened to her. She was able to go back safely and in one piece. But then again, she never did venture beyond the shrine and into the woods. Even so, her reasons were strong when she was small. It was enough for her.

It was enough for her back then. She could never think of the same thing after that day when her grandmother fell on the ground.

That day whose events wouldn't show up in her memory.

With heavy eyes, Hinamori paced towards her window and let her hand slide down its sill.

"After that day…" Her words were soft as she stared at the vast view of Mt. Tenkou from the second floor of their humble house. "…I can see everything beyond the thick mist of that mountain. I can see as clear as day what the villagers couldn't." She stared at the fast moving shadows on top of the trees of the mountain. "That mountain…" She followed the movements with her unblinking eyes. "…is not as peaceful as it looks." She bent forward and rested her chin on her palms. "I wonder which creatures it is this time." She said with a smile.

"Oi! Hinamori!" Someone called out below which broke her attention away from the mountain. "You're spacing out again!"

She looked down blinking. "Eh? Tatsuki-chan, how long have you been standing there?"

"Quite a while, you know." The high school girl replied. "Are you seriously going to make me wait out here?"

"Oh, I'm sorry." Hinamori bowed her apologetically. "I'll be down there in a minute." And with that she disappeared from the other girl's view.

"That girl…" Tatsuki scratched the back of her head. "…I don't understand why she loves staring at the creepy mountain, anyway." She said to herself and glanced at her back to look at the vast view. What met her eyes were the same as any morning. Mt. Tenkou was quiet with its luscious green nature. The huge trees were visible from its foot but would be lost in view once it reached the thick mist which curled around the mountain's waist up to its top. Every now and then, a group of bird could be seen flying around it. The air smelled clean and fresh as the wind carried its scent towards where her classmate lived. She grew up in that town all her life same as Hinamori and she couldn't find anything great or interesting out of the famed mountain aside from the creepy atmosphere it seemed to be projecting. But those were only due to urban legends which had been a part of their town's history.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting, Tatsuki-chan." Hinamori burst out of the front door…in her pajamas.

Tatsuki sighed. "I can't believe that you are still in your sleeping clothes. You don't actually expect in reporting to school this early if you are still dressed like that. I might as well do our art project alone."

"Weh!" Hinamori exclaimed. "You don't have to do that, Tatsuki-chan. This is only the third time I woke up late." Then, she went on ahead in explaining things in a fast recap. "Actually, my alarm rang an hour earlier but I somehow pushed the snooze button which lead it to alarm again just now."

"What kind of alarm clock allows you to snooze an hour after? Wasn't a snooze supposedly go off five or ten minutes after?" The other girl pointed out.

"Ummm…" Hinamori shifted from one foot to another. "…mine?" She chuckled nervously.

Tatsuki's shoulder slumped forward. "Third time, Hinamori. This is the third time. If I didn't decide to actually fetch you every morning, my eyes would have turned white by the time you arrive in school. How do you expect for us to finish this project if you keep missing out on our allotted time to use the school's art studio?"

"I'm so sorry, Tatsuki-chan." She kept bowing. "I'm so sorry."

The other girl sighed again. "Seriously, we could have just gotten the schedule after class. I don't know why you strongly objected when Sensei offered that slot to us. Do you have a part time job after school?"

"Ummm…not really."

"Not really? What kind of answer is that?"

"Umm…a-no…" She looked at Tatsuki hesitantly. "…I only do part time jobs during weekends."

"Eh?" The other girl arched a brow.

"Umm…" Hinamori placed her hand on her back and started to make circles under her foot. "…I'm doing volunteer work."

"Volunteer work?" Tatsuki blinked. "What volunteer work? I don't think I see you in any public day care or health center in the village. And those are the only places you can do volunteer work around here. It's not like we have a large town not to be aware of each other's whereabouts."

Hinamori fidgeted and looked away. "I'm cleaning the shrine."

Tatsuki was silent for a moment. She thought she didn't hear that right. "Come again?"

"I'm cleaning the shrine."

The other girl searched her mind for a near temple. "The shrine? The one in the next town? That's far! You go there every afternoon?"

But Hinamori shook her head. "Not in that temple."

"Huh?" Tatsuki blinked in confusion.

"The shrine located here in our town." Hinamori remarked; still avoiding the other girl's eyes.

"But our town doesn't have a shrine." Tatsuki replied.

"Yes, we do." She slowly raised a finger and pointed beyond where her classmate stood. "The one in there."

Tatsuki followed the direction Hinamori was referring to, and then it finally dawned at her. "You've got to be kidding me! The old abandoned shrine at the foot of Mt. Tenkou!"

"H—hai." The meek girl nodded.

Tatsuki's mouth dropped open. "You are not trying to bail out on me now, are you?"

"No!" Hinamori shook her head and finally met Tatsuki's eyes with much strength. "I seriously do that every day…after school."

"God! You're really serious!" The other girl exclaimed. "But that shrine is beyond the restricted fence. No one is supposed to go there!"

"I know." Hinamori replied, this time, weakly. "So please…don't tell anyone."

"I can't believe this." Tatsuki shook her head. "All this time, people often say that you're weird, Hinamori, but I've always kept an open mind. Then here you are…telling me something like this..." She gaped at the hazel-eyed girl. "Aren't you afraid that those urban legends might be true, after all?"

"I thought you never really believe those tales?"

"Not that wholeheartedly…yes, but the mountain itself is creepy. I wouldn't want to even step a single foot at its dirt road. " Tatsuki pointed out. "Same with spending the whole afternoon in that old shrine."

"Mt. Tenkou isn't creepy!" Hinamori suddenly said as she placed her fist in front of her chest with much display of defense for the mountain. "Mt. Tenkou is…for me…Mt. Tenkou is…is very beautiful."

Tatsuki was taken aback at her classmate's display of strong emotion. She didn't speak a word for a minute as she looked straight at Hinamori's intense eyes. Until finally, she shook her head. "Fine. Whatever you say." She turned around and started walking towards the road which lead to town.

"Tatsuki-chan?"

But the other girl just waved with her back against her. "There is no point in arguing with you. You're not exactly my friend, Hinamori. You can go risk your life inside that mountain all you want. I just hope that you won't end up with the same faith as those people in those horrible stories in connection with Mt. Tenkou. As for our project…please do try to keep our morning schedule. If you can do that so-called _'volunteer work'_ in that rundown shrine, I'm sure you won't have any problem working on real things that matters." With that, she started trotting briskly away from the Hinamori's house.

Now alone, Hinamori casted a glance towards the enormous structure of nature before her. "But it does matter to me…that shrine…it matters the most to me." She murmured as her eyes fell on the mountain once more. The other girl probably merely saw a thick mist surrounding the area, but to Hinamori's eyes, the ambiance of the mountain was actually getting intense. The place was getting populated. Though, she could only see shadows since her house was still a few kilometers away from the actual base of the mountain, she could tell that more and more _'things' _were materializing from thin air.

"It seems like this is another busy day for Mt. Tenkou." She said to herself and went back inside to get ready for school.

* * *

The 3 o'clock bell chimed all throughout the school as it indicated the end of all classes for that day. Hinamori packed her things and stepped outside the classroom. She was anxious to leave the premises. All throughout that day, her mind was wandering off. It was either that or she would be caught by their teacher looking out of the window. Her classmates would laugh at her but she couldn't help it. Something big was going on today in Mt. Tenkou. She thought it was another busy day for the mountain, but somehow, ever since she arrived at school that morning, flashes of light illuminated from the top of the mountain. It started out with long minute intervals but after noontime, the blinding flashes became frequent that it eventually resulted to seconds' interval. Their school was located at the heart of the town. The mountain could still be seen from this range but not as clear as when she was at home. The clouds on its peak kept turning from the white cottony fluff as it was in a normal person's eye into dark clouds with lightning dancing inside it. Thunder roared from Mt. Tenkou and only she could hear it. In her ears, they were intense which made her cringed on her seat only to recieve weird glances from her classmates. Once in a while, she would catch Tatsuki looking at her with a deep frown etched on her forehead, but nevertheless, it only lasted a few seconds before she was again back to her solitary world. 

As if on cue, someone tapped her shoulders while she was walking in the hallway. "Hinamori."

"Hai, Tatsuki-chan." She replied to her classmate.

"About this morning…" The other girl started to say.

Hinamori shook her head. "No…it's alright. I appreciate that you always fetch me every morning, but you don't need to do that. My house is far from yours, after all." She smiled. "I promise from now on...I would be punctual so we can finish our project. I'm so sorry to bother you." With that she bowed and walked away; halting whatever words Tatsuki was about to say to her.

Once outside their school, Hinamori took a deep breath as she stared at the far view of the mountain. Whatever gloomy feeling she had that morning was slowly evaporating. Her eyes twinkled as another flash of lightning became visible on its peak. Hinamori had been going to the abandoned shrine for years that she knew by now what to expect to materialize after some certain signals and atmosphere conditions. And with this kind of change in the mountain's aura, it could only mean one thing.

"I'm going to see it again…that white dragon…" She whispered excitedly as she started to run towards home with people looking at her strangely.

A few more minutes, Hinamori was panting as she stopped to catch her breath. She was already standing in front of the rundown fence at the end of the dirt road. All she has to do was to squirm underneath the small opening in order to go the stone steps which lead to the old shrine. She couldn't help but to get disappointed as soon as she reached the foot of the mountain. Whatever it was that she saw back in school, it was gone. The forest was quiet once more as if nothing happened. For a moment she thought that she could have dreamed the whole thing, but she knew that it would be unlikely.

She heaved a deep sigh as she made her way to the stone steps. The path wasn't something innovative. It was a mere excuse to be called as stairs with its cracked steps which was chipped off in many areas. Nevertheless, it provided the way towards her destination.

"Oh well…I could just do my homework over there like what I always do." Hinamori said to herself while skipping from one steep step to another.

Finally, she arrived at the old shrine. Musty air greeted her as she leaned against a faded red pillar. Around her, the wind blew softly and rustled the leaves of the nearby trees. Hinamori closed her eyes for a moment and inhaled.

"This really feels like home." She murmured. A smile crept back on her face as she entered her little hideout.

When she first peered inside this abandoned shrine, what met her were endless lace of cobwebs, raised wooden floors and chipped off walls. Now, she made sure no cobwebs invaded the shelter and even tried fixing some of the rotten tiles. But since the whole shrine was surrounded by a thick forest, it was inevitable that dried leaves was blown inside.

"Time to clean again." She said cheerfully as she laid her school bag on the floor and took a broom out from one of the creaky cabinets and began to sweep.

Every now and then, she would glance up at the shadowy forest beyond her, only to be met by silence. Everything looked normal, from the untouched nature up to the forest melodies made by the animal inhabitants. It was all very comforting.

Then suddenly…

_**- meow -**_

Hinamori blinked. "A-ra?" A cat sound filled the air. She turned her head towards it. "A neko?"

Indeed, a black cat sat at the sliding door of the shrine with its eyes fixed on her.

"Eh? Where did you come from?" She approached the cat slowly to avoid spooking it away.

But the cat didn't budge nor displayed any nervous reaction which gave Hinamori the chance to even squat in front of it at arms length.

"This is the first time I saw you around here. Are you lost?" She asked.

Still, the cat merely stared at her. She looked for a collar that might tell who its owner was, but she couldn't find anything; only silky-looking black fur and pale eyes gazed back at her unblinkingly.

"Hmmm…Are you hungry?" She smiled sweetly. "I know…I'll give you some milk. Good thing I saved that carton from lunch today. Hold on. Just wait here." She stood and padded towards her bag. She opened a small milk carton and placed its contents on the lid of her bento box. All this time, the black cat's eyes followed her movements vigilantly, but still, it stayed on its position.

"Here you go." Hinamori returned with the milk and left it in front of the cat. "I'm sorry. I don't have much and I don't have a proper bowl either. I wasn't expecting to come across a neko today so…ahehe" She gave a small laugh.

But the black cat still kept its gaze on her.

"A-no…" She shifted from pne foot to another. Somehow, it felt like she was being studied from head to toe by the cat. "Well, then…I shall leave you with your milk." With that she squirmed away towards the back of the shrine. She clutched the end of her broom for a second before eventually laughing. "This is silly. I can't believe I am thinking something like that about that cat. It's good that I now have a new companion." With that, she resumed sweeping.

Time passed while she hummed. Before her, the sun was beginning to set in the West which thickened the shadows made by the surrounding trees. She was lost with her own thoughts when someone suddenly spoke.

"Why do you keep doing that?" A male voice sliced through the air which startled Hinamori.

"Huh?" She looked around her. "Who's there?"

But the voice ignored her question. "Aren't you afraid to be here? This mountain is not for mortals, you know."

Hinamori turned her head but couldn't pinpoint the speaker. "Where are you? Come out!"

"What a weird person." The male voice remarked. "You already met me yet you still ask questions like that."

"?, I don't understand."

"Look here." The voice said.

"Where?"

"Down here...from where you were earlier."

So, the girl faced the shrine once again and blinked when she saw the black cat which now sat in front of the shrine's back door.

"It can't be…" Her words came out in almost a whisper.

"Believe it." The black cat replied.

Hinamori stared at the cat; wide-eyed and with her mouth open.

"Boo." The cat briskly said.

"Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Hinamori jumped and then pointed straight at the cat. "You're the one talking!"

"Who else?" It casually said to her.

"Is…is this even possible?" She stuttered.

"Eh?" The cat tilted its head. "You've seen things far more unexplainable than I am yet you give me that kind of response."

"Seen…things…" Hinamori gasped. "You…you know about…?"

The cat smirked. "Of course, I do. I'm a frequent visitor of this shrine. And I see how you've looked beyond the fence towards the mountain every time there's some kind of **_'event'_** happening."

Still wide-eyed, Hinamori let herself slide beside the talking cat. "You can see them, too?"

The cat gave a small laugh. "I've seen more than those, little girl."

"Eeeeeeeh?" A mixture of confusion and excitement filled Hinamori's heart. "More?"

"Hey…I'm the one who was asking you first. How come you ended up asking me?" The cat pointed out.

"Well, it's not everyday I meet a talking cat. Are you real? Can I touch you, neko-chan?" Her eyes started to light up as she raised her hand and reached towards the animal.

"Easy on that hand." The black cat squirmed away. "I'm not your pet, you know." But seeing Hinamori's huge twinkling eyes, "Okay, fine. Just this once."

The hazel-eyed girl was overjoyed as she touched the cat's fur. "Wow….so smooth! You are real!"

"Of course, I am."

"You say that you are a frequent visitor of this shrine. How come I never saw you till now?" She asked.

"Because I chose not to be seen." It said. "…until now. I've always wondered why you are always here."

"Oh…ummm…" Hinamori's eyes dropped down on her hands. "…I really like this place. I don't know why…but I think I've grown attached to it. I loved playing here when I was small and ever since my grandmother died…it became my sanctuary."

"Sanctuary." The cat gave an amused laugh. "That is the very least this mountain is."

"Then," She peered curiously. "what is this mountain?"

The black cat closed its eyes. "I am not allowed to tell you that."

"Wai? Why not?" Hinamori pouted.

"Because mortals aren't supposed to know." It replied plainly.

"Mortals? You seemed to have boldly classified me. Does this mean that neko-chan is an immortal?" She asked.

Again, instead of answering the girl's query, the black cat spoke of another thing. "I appreciate what you are doing for this shrine. Even though this is the first time I've actually spoken to you, I'm quite aware of your presence that is why I even bothered coming here today."

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"You're name is Hinamori Momo, correct?"

"Hai." She nodded.

"Well, Momo-chan…starting from now on, don't go near this place again." It said.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeh? Why?"

"Let's just say that things are going to be much more dangerous that it already was." The cat explained. "You've seen the disturbance earlier, right? I bet that was the reason why you rushed all the way here."

Hinamori blinked. The cat got it right on the dot.

The black animal continued. "You are lucky. By the time, you arrived, it already subsided. But it can be unpredictable as to when it will begin again."

"What will begin?"

"It doesn't concern you, so you don't have to know it." The black cat remarked. "Anyway, this old shrine had a spiritual barrier around it."

"Spiritual barrier?"

"Yes. Though, it was abandoned for quite some time now, there was still some left from its original sacred use. Maybe that is why nothing bad happened to you for all those years that you've been spending your days here. But…" The cat glanced towards the thick forest of the mountain. "…I'm not sure if this level of barrier would be enough to keep more powerful beings out."

"Powerful beings…"

"What's with you? You keep repeating what I am saying." The cat said with a hint of annoyance. "It's not like you don't know about them. You see them everyday, after all."

"Oh…those creatures?" Hinamori's huge eyes contemplated.

"Creatures?" Again, the cat laughed. "**Those are not creatures**."

"They're not? But…I sometimes see huge animal/beasts materializing on thin air." She said. "Aren't those considered as creatures?"

The cat looked surprised for a minute. "You can see even **_'those'_**? A normal person who has his third eye opened would only see shadows moving around Mt. Tenkou's perimeter. But you say…you see…_'huge beasts'_…how visible are they to you?"

"They are as clear as day." Hinamori answered. "But most of the time, they only last for a few seconds. Except for one incident wherein it lasted for a few minutes."

"Tell me, child." It was obvious that she got the cat's full attention. "What exactly in detail do you see inside this mountain?"

"A-no…" She placed a finger under her chin. "Like what you already said, shadows moving about…then the change in Mt. Tenkou's environment conditions, then ummm…cloaked things…I see cloaked things."

"Cloaked things..." The cat's tone wavered.

"Hai…most of the time I see them emerging from the ground." She gestured her hand about as she indicated her point. "Oh but there are some that fall from the sky as well."

"Fall from the sky…" This time, it was the cat's eyes that were getting wider.

Hinamori nodded. "They have wings."

The black animal coughed. "Wings…"

"Yes…shiny ones and then…like what I said earlier…huge animals/beasts materializes once in a while. But it rarely happens."

"What about weapons? Do you see weapons?"

The girl blinked. "Weapons?"

"Yes. Like ah…a sword?" The cat replied.

"Sword? Like a two-blade sword?" In an instant, an image of knights riding horses flashed inside Hinamori's head.

"NO. Not that kind of sword. I was referring to the ones used by samurais in the past—**katana-**like ones."

"Oh." She finally understood. "No…I couldn't tell if they were carrying any swords. They move so fast, I can barely keep up."

The cat looked as if it was gaping at her.

"Eh? Are you alright, neko-chan?"

Silence overcame them as the black animal just stared at her. Then finally, the cat bent its head and smiled inwardly. "I see." It said.

"Neko-chan…"

"This is quite a rare thing." It started to say. "Well then, little girl…forget about what I said earlier."

"Eh?" Hinamori blinked in puzzlement.

"Go ahead if you like to spend time in this place."

The girl's face lit up. "Really?"

"I'll tell you what. How about you skip school tomorrow and camped out here with me." The black cat said.

"Eh? Camp out. You mean actually sleep out here for the whole night?" Hinamori looked unconvinced as she glanced towards the rickety shrine. "Won't it be too cold? I know it's summer but the mist which endlessly surrounded Mt. Tenkou was thickest during night time. Won't the temperature drop down?"

The cat gave her a side smile. "There is another place up north which is much warmer than this shrine."

"Really?" Hinamori's eyes were as round as a plate.

"I will take you there. It has a better view of the forest." The black animal said mysteriously.

"But I thought you said things are getting more dangerous?"

"It never stopped you before…so why think of it now?" The cat pointed out.

Hinamori blinked. She didn't quite understand what was happening but the cat's invitation was tempting. Tatsuki's face flashed inside her mind. She still has some project to finish with her classmate. This was not the right time to skip class. Then again…

The black cat's eyes looked at her intensely. A smile danced on its face. "Come on…you know you want to…" It said in a rather eerie tone. "…it would be way better than sleeping alone in that old house of yours. Don't you like to get to know this mountain you've grown so attached with?"

It was tempting…very tempting.

"Just for one night…Hinamori Momo…" It said. "…and I promise you…**it will change your life forever."** A dark aura seemed to surround the animal as it laid down its word.

Common sense told Hinamori that she shouldn't jump into the water. But then again, what had she got to lose? This was the place she considered as her sanctuary. It wasn't like she had anyone to worry about her.

So without any more second thoughts, she nodded. "Okay."

* * *

The next morning, Hinamori patiently waited at the back of the old shrine where she and the black cat went their separate ways yesterday. She called her homeroom teacher as soon as the sun rose and informed the faculty member that she was not feeling well. Her teacher bought it. By this time, Tatsuki might have heard of the news of her being sick. She felt bad about not being able to keep her appointment with her classmate, but it evaporated the moment she came tumbling up the stone steps leading to the shrine. Like last night, Mt. Tenkou was immensely quiet. Not a wandering shadow could be seen. She found it really odd, but nevertheless, shrugged it off and anticipated the arrival of her new feline friend. 

"You are actually early." A familiar male voice remarked.

Her face lit up. "Neko-chan!" She greeted the cat.

This time, the black animal was standing in all fours on top of a broken oil lamp at the boundary of the shrine and the woods.

"Well then, are you ready? Shall we go?" It asked her.

"Hai!" Hinamori cheerfully exclaimed.

"You look so happy." The cat commented.

"It's because I'm going on an adventure! It's like…going on a holiday." The girl said as she trotted behind the animal.

"Tush. If it's an adventure you want, then wait a few more days." It blurted out.

"Why? What's going to happen during that time?"

The cat cleared its throat. It looked like it just said something it wasn't supposed to say. "Erm…nothing. Let's go."

"Where are we going?" Hinamori followed the feline as it made its way at the farthest end of the shrine.

"It is a hidden path." The feline answered. "But I'm sure you will be delighted to see it." Then, it stopped in front of a wall of vines. "Here. We need to pass through here."

Hinamori blinked. "But, there's no way through. And the vines are all full of thorns."

The cat smirked. "One thing you need to remember, little girl, is that don't be deceived of what something looks like in the outer shell." It raised one paw and pointed something. "Down there, do you see something sticking out?" It referred to a bamboo shoot which laid on the ground. She nodded. "Pick that up and raised it slowly."

The girl did what she was told and moments later, the vines were lifted like curtain drapes sliding open. "Wow!"

"I told you." The cat remarked triumphantly.

"But it's dark." Indeed, the path which unfolded before her was thickly covered by branches of trees which made an undisturbed cylindrical walkway. Not a ray of sun passed through.

"It's alright. Let's go." The cat quickly jumped and disappeared inside the dark path.

"Wai! Wait for me." Hinamori bent her head and slid herself in. She let go of the bamboo shoot which made the entrance close behind her. "Neko-chan! Where are you? I can't see."

"Over here." The black cat answered. "Just take another step."

Again, she did what she was told. As soon as her foot touched with what seemed like another flight of stone steps, both sides of the pathway suddenly illuminated. "A-ra?" Hinamori blinked. "Paper lanterns?"

Surely enough, for every three steps, both sides of the narrow way have traditional paper lanterns hanging on them. One by one, the lanterns lit up which eventually lead to where the black cat was. "H—how?" The girl glanced from one lantern to another as she climbed up the steps. She had no idea how the candles inside the paper lanterns got lit up.

"Pretty neat, huh? Something like this is a common thing from where I came from." The black feline remarked.

"Where exactly did you come from, Neko-chan?" The girl asked as soon as she reached the top of the flight of stairs.

But again, the cat didn't answer her and went on ahead in saying something else. "We need to walk a little bit farther up through the woods." With that, the black cat ran once more towards the forested area.

"Wait!" Hinamori exclaimed as soon as she emerged from the dark walkway. This time she was met by the smell of trees and a light breeze. Different sounds of birds could be heard.

She was inside the woods.

"This is…the first time I've ventured this far." She murmured as she looked around her in awe on how big and ancient-looking the trees were.

"Hurry up, little girl." The cat's voice called out to her. "We don't want you getting lost now, do we?"

"H—Hai." She scrambled on her feet to keep up with the agile animal.

* * *

"Well? What do you think?" The feline said in a proud voice. 

"Oh my God…this is…?" Hinamori gasped at what greeted her after the endless route of trees and undisturbed earth.

"God has nothing to do with it." The cat snapped.

Whatever irritation found in the cat's voice was not noticed by the hazel-eyed girl. She was too awed at the structure before her. There stood a small yet tall traditional house. Unlike the shrine, even though it looked old, it was well kept and was in good shape. It rose to the ground with three levels. Its uppermost floor was almost in par with the peak of the tall trees which surrounded it. But what looked magnificent about it was the garden in front which beckoned them. Rare-looking bonsai plants adorned the simple yet elegant landscape. There was no pond nor a small bridge but it was obvious that someone must have been living there in order to maintain such a garden.

"Who…who lives here?" Hinamori gaped.

"No one." The cat replied.

"But that's impossible!" She exclaimed. "How can something like this exists this way if no one lives here?"

"You ask too many questions." The black feline remarked. "Just think of it as one of the wonders of Mt. Tenkou." And with that the cat went straight inside the house.

"Weh? Is it okay for us to be here?" Hinamori followed behind.

"Of course. I stay her whenever I want to rest." It glanced back at her with a smile. "Make yourself at home."

Hinamori was reluctant but eventually did what the cat said. She had come too far to back out. _You don't have anything to lose. _She reminded herself. _So, just enjoy this adventure. _

The inside of the house was plain. Except for a few basic furniture like a low table, mats, pillows, kettle, lanterns and futon, there was nothing extravagant or odd in the said house.

"Drop your bag anywhere and join me up here." The black cat said.

Again, she did what she was told and started climbing up the wooden stairs. Apparently, her feline friend was at the uppermost level. It laid comfortably on the tiled roof in front of an opened third floor window.

"Now…isn't this the view? Far better than what you get from the shrine, eh?" It said to her.

"Wow. You're right." Hinamori replied as she tucked her feet beneath her and sat near the black cat.

Since they were at the top floor and within the woods itself, almost the whole perimeter of the mountain was visible. Everything looked pleasant and peaceful.

"A normal person would only get lost in that path we just took and will probably wind up in circles. Do you know that?" The cat shot her a side glance.

"Eh? Then, how come we didn't get lost?"

"Cause we are not exactly ordinary humans." It pointed out.

"Oh."

"You can see everything clearly, right? A normal person will only see a thick mist which will impair their vision of the surroundings." The cat explained to her.

"Really?" She said in a weak voice.

"But I think you already know about the mist. It was a different mist than the ones which occurs naturally during night time due to cold weather."

Hinamori just nodded.

"I'm not going to ask you on how you ended up having that kind of ability." The black cat said. "I am simply not interested with that kind of thing. What is eating my curiosity is up to what extent do you know about the _'events' _which happens every now and then in this mountain."

"I could have easily answered that back in the shrine, neko-chan." She gazed up at the view before her. "I can only see, but I don't know what to exactly make out of it."

The black cat smirked. "I will find my answers in my own way. There is no need for you to explain it."

Silence overcame them as both seemed to be in deep thought.

"Neh…neko-chan…" The girl started to say.

"Hmmm?"

"You said before that _'those'_ aren't creatures. What exactly are they?" She asked.

"Which one? You seem to see more than one type." It said.

"There are many types?"

"Of course, it is another world out there, you know." The cat remarked.

"Well umm…" She tilted her head thoughtfully. "What about those shadows?"

"Those shadows are mixed. So it may be a little difficult to explain."

Hinamori smiled. "Looks like you don't mind giving me information now. I remember yesterday, you kept saying that there is no need for me to know."

The feline closed its eyes as it stretched its body. "I'm not going to tell you why they are here in Mt. Tenkou nor their purpose in this earth. But I think I can tell you what they are…the very least."

"So what are they? You can just enumerate them. If it is complicated, then I guess, you can cut the terms or whatever you think will make me comprehend faster." She said.

"You seriously want it simple?" The cat suddenly looked at her with a mysterious flare in its eyes.

Hinamori nodded.

"They are light and dark beings. Not creatures…but beings." It remarked.

"Light and dark beings?"

The cat's smile deepened. "Heaven and Hell."

"Eh?"

"Simply put. Those you saw with shiny feathered wings** are angels**. The cloaked ones **are devils**."

* * *

Night time befell on Mt. Tenkou and once again, things were getting intense. Hinamori watched as the same cloaked beings jumped from one tree to another. On top against the carpet of diamonds on the sky, storm clouds started to form. It looked strange considering that only that side of the mountain had this dark patch of clouds. 

Hinamori covered herself with a blanket as she watched from the tiled roof of the mysterious house inside the woods. She found the cat's revelations to be slightly disturbing but she wasn't surprised. Somehow deep inside she might have a clue of what they really were. After all, she did see pointed tails sticking out of the cloaks from those who emerged from the earth. And the luminous wings of those who fell from the sky really were a good sign that they might be beings from Heaven.

But as to why beings from hell and heaven were in Mt. Tenkou was something the black cat refused to answer.

Hinamori sighed.

She should be afraid of her current situation but in contrary, she felt delighted. She found the companionship of the cat as something precious even for this little time she had known it. It was like…for the first time…she had a friend. Someone she could talk to about this strange ability of hers. Unfortunately, her feline friend told her that she could only stay there for one night.

'**_Your pass in these woods is only good for one night.' _**She recalled it saying. **_'Mortals are not meant to be here.'_**

'**_Tomorrow, you need to go back home…and same with me…I also need to go back to the place where I came from.' _**But again, it didn't answer her when she asked where it came from.

Hinamori's shoulders slumped down. For a brief moment, she felt truly happy, but tomorrow she needed to return to her lonely world once again. With another heavy breath, she closed her eyes.

_Maybe everything's just a dream. That's why it won't last once I wake up. _She thought.

Then, thunder started erupting in the sky which made her eyes flew open. "Oh my…that is…" She stood up with much anticipation as she searched the peak of the mountain. She was rewarded when the atmosphere flickered and an image started materializing out of thin air.

It was an image of a long white dragon making its way around the mountain. Hinamori gasped. Everything was clearer and more realistic compared to the view back at her house. She stared as lightning followed the huge beast. For some reason, it wasn't alone. There were also other things with it which she couldn't quite make out. It looked angry and fierce as it seemed to lurch forward at something bright and sturdy.

"A-ra…it's getting bloody." Someone spoke from behind which made Hinamori jumped; startled.

"Neko-chan!"

The cat sat on a wooden foundation beside where she stood. "I seem to have a habit of startling you."

Hinamori clutched her chest. "Yes." Then, she giggled and focused her attention back to the magnificent creature at the top of the mountain. Her eyes twinkled as she watched in awe once more.

"Hmmm?" The cat's observant eyes landed on the girl's face. "You're supposed to be scared in witnessing this. But it seemed to be the opposite."

"It is so beautiful." She whispered which made the cat arched its brow. "I really like watching that dragon." She sighed lovingly. "Thank you, neko-chan for bringing me closer up here."

The cat was silent for a while as it gazed at the girl with amused eyes.

"Neh…neko-chan…that creature out there…it was neither a cloaked one nor a winged one. What exactly is it then?" She asked.

"Like I said before, there are many types. I don't know how to exactly explain it to you. If I even try doing so, then it won't be simple at all." Her feline friend pointed out. "I'm simply too lazy to even try drawing a chart for you."

"A chart?"

"Err…never mind. Just stick to the angels and devils thing."

"You're mean in a way, neko-chan. Do you know that?" She remarked, but her eyes were all focused on the beast she greatly admired for quite some time now.

"You like him that much?" The black suddenly asked.

"Huh? Who?" Hinamori looked confused for a minute.

The cat moved closer to her and bent down to talk on her ear. "**Him.**" It pertained to the white dragon.

"It's a 'he'?" The girl asked with growing curiosity.

"Yes." The black feline smiled mischievously. "Would you like to know his name?"

Hinamori's eyes lit up. "It has a name!" She exclaimed.

"Hitsugaya Toushirou." The cat replied. "That white dragon's name is **Hitsugaya Toushirou**."

* * *

"Little girl, wake up." A voice filled Hinamori's ears as she groaned and buried herself more within her covers. 

"Five more minutes…" She said.

"I don't have five more minutes." The voice said. "I need to leave right now. My master is waiting for me."

_Master? Who is this person talking to me? Do I know anyone who has a master? _She opened one eye only to be met by a black cat's stare.

"I need to report back now." The feline said.

"Weeeeeeeeeeeeeh!" Hinamori jolted up in sitting position.

The cat sweat-dropped. "There you go again…getting startled in seeing me. Aren't you used to me by now?"

"Go—gomen, neko-chan. I thought I was dreaming all this time." She replied in her defense.

"Well get over it. Anyway, I woke you up to say goodbye. You can go back to sleep and stay till afternoon here. But remember you need to go back before sunset. There is no barrier along the path which we took yesterday. It would be dangerous for you to wonder about." Then, the cat noticed Hinamori's face fell. "A-ra? There is no need to look so sad. It wasn't like we've known each other for that long."

"But neko-chan had been more of a friend to me than anyone else I've known since I was small!" She exclaimed.

"Oi..oi…you shouldn't be 'all-trusting', you know. You're lucky that I have a kindness streak in me." Then, to itself it murmured. _Most wouldn't._

"Even so…" Her eyes started to waver. "…I don't want to be alone again. Can't I just stay here in whatever world this mountain seems to revolve in?"

"**No**." The cat said firmly. "There is no way a mortal can survive Mt. Tenkou's harsh surroundings. I'm sorry to say this, but all of those rumors in regards to this mountain were true. Every single person who stupidly wandered inside this mountain never returned. All of them ended up dead."

"Where they…" She stammered. "…killed by those**_ 'beings'_**?"

"Yes." The cat answered flatly.

Hinamori grew silent. "I see." She said.

The black cat nodded as if to gesture a farewell and started to walk towards the door. It was about to jump outside when she suddenly spoke.

"I don't mind getting killed." The girl said with her eyes fixated on her lap.

This made the cat stop on its track. "Come again?"

"I said...I don't mind getting killed." She repeated.

"Why?" It asked her.

"Because I don't have anyone in this world. The only thing that was left precious to me was the shrine and this mountain." She remarked in a weak yet audible voice.

"Are you sure it is the mountain you seek?" The feline asked without looking at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Was it the mountain…or **the mystery behind it**?" The cat asked once more.

Hinamori contemplated for a while. "I don't know." She finally said.

The black animal turned its head back to her with a smile slowly getting visible. "If you are granted one wish…any kind of wish…**what would you wish for**?"

Hinamori stared at the cat for a moment. "I don't know." She answered.

The cat smirked. "It could be anything."

"I honestly don't know." She said. "I couldn't think of anything I would want from this world."

"From the world of the living, yes…but what about from the **world of the dead?" **

"Eh?" Hinamori blinked; unsure of what the cat was referring to.

"You can always wish for something from **_there_**, too." It supplemented in mysterious tone.

Time seemed to pass as neither of the two occupants of the room spoke. Finally, it was the black feline who broke the silence.

"Since, you don't mind being killed; I'm going to share yet another information. Then again, being killed doesn't necessarily mean that you are also going to lose **_that._**"

"?"

The cat faced her once again and sat on the floor. "Another folklore is true. **Devils grant wishes**."

"Eh?"

It continued. "**You can ask for anything in exchange for you soul**. I'm sure you've heard of it."

"Just like in the movies?"

The cat snorted. "One could only wonder as to where humans got that idea. Certainly, something like that doesn't merely materialize from thin air. There must always be a source."

"What are you trying to say, neko-chan?"

"What I'm trying to say is that you can always do it." It said. "You can always go under contract with one of the minions of hell in exchange of what your heart truly desires. I just thought that you seemed to have lost the spark of life that it wouldn't matter if you bet on something like your soul."

"Neko-chan…"

"Think about it. You know now that angels and devils do exist. You've seen them in your own backyard. Wouldn't you want to try it?" The cat said; this time in a tempting tone.

"I'm not sure." She replied.

"I can tell you how to summon one." The feline remarked with its pale eyes sparkling.

"How to summon…"

"Yes…**how to summon a devil**." The black cat answered with its eyes sparkling with excitement.

* * *

(UP Next: Chapter Two: "**The Wish**")

* * *

**Author's Note:**

This story is another product of a recent dream I had (with a dash of exaggeration, of course). Yeah…I know…kind of scary, huh? To dream about making a contract with the devil, but somehow, I wasn't scared while I was dreaming it. The devil in my dream was a kid, hence, who else will be perfect for the role in my fic? Hitsugaya's character fit the whole thing, that's why I ended up making a Bleach fic. Like 'secret of the lettermaker', it was not in the plan to write this, but I think it is an interesting plot in the usual 'one wish for your soul' deal. This is my first time to write a Bleach fic and actually uploaded it. I am more of a CCS subcat authoress. I'm not sure what kind of bleach community ff dot net has, but I'm willing to try this place out.

I wasn't expecting for this chapter to be this long. Actually, I even cut it from the original plan when I realized that I already have 27 pages considering that this is only the first chapter. Initially, I was supposed to write up to that time wherein Hitsugaya will make an official appearance in flesh and blood, but I think it would make this chapter go beyond 30 pages that I opted in including it in the next chapter instead. After all, I am yet to get opinions.

So, please tell me what you guys think. Continue or not? R & R Onegai Shimasu!


	2. The Wish

"**_Sealed in Mt. Tenkou"_**

By Majah

**Disclaimer:**

I don't own Bleach but I do own the story in this fic and things that are non-Bleach. All the name of places, historical events and other things mentioned which you don't seem to know IRL, are products of my imagination. Any similarities with the actual thing are purely coincidental.

* * *

**From Previous Chapter:**

The cat faced her once again and sat on the floor. "Another folklore is true. **Devils grant wishes**."

"Eh?"

It continued. "**You can ask for anything in exchange for you soul**. I'm sure you've heard of it."

"Just like in the movies?"

The cat snorted. "One could only wonder as to where humans got that idea. Certainly, something like that doesn't just rise from thin air. There must always be a source."

"What are you trying to say, neko-chan?"

"What I'm trying to say is that you can always do it." It said. "You can always go under contract with one of the minions of hell in exchange of what your heart truly desires. I just thought that you seemed to have lost the spark in your life that it wouldn't matter if you bet on something like your soul."

"Neko-chan…"

"Think about it. You know now that angels and devils do exist. You've seen them in your own backyard. Wouldn't you want to try it?" The cat said; this time in a tempting tone.

"I'm not sure." She replied.

"I can tell you how to summon one." The feline remarked with its pale eyes sparkling.

"How to summon…"

"Yes…**how to summon a devil**." The black cat answered with its eyes sparkling with excitement.

* * *

**Chapter Two: "The Wish"**

"I'm serious, little girl." The cat remarked with its tone growing more and more mysterious. "Very few people know about this. In contrast to common belief, it isn't easy to call a devil which specializes in granting wishes. This is one thing those movies or novels in the human world would often mistake about. Although, I must admit that there are quite a number which hunt for a victim, but those are for the desperate ones who wanted to raise their power through acquiring a soul. Such an **act is considered low** for those who thrived in the netherworld. And honestly, most human who will go in contract with them, often gets swindled…one way or another. So child, it isn't as simple as it sounds to be. Mind you that each deal made with a Hell Being will often cost you eternity. That is why you must know the right way of doing such a procedure…the proper invocation of someone respectable even in hell."

Hinamori blinked many times as she tried to digest what the cat was saying to her. "I don't think I quite understand, neko-chan…**_'someone respectable even in hell'_**?" She quoted. "Aren't all devils bad? Can they be considered as respectable?"

The black animal smirked. "I won't blame you. That is probably an influence from religion. But I won't lie. The 'acts' down there…the culture and ways…are far from what the conservative and moral world you've grown up from. But…" It tilted its head. "…the society and structure in hell is something...both **_less and more fearsome_** than what was introduced as common knowledge."

"What? I don't understand, neko-chan. You speak of both extremes."

The cat chuckled. "Let's just say…it is something that cannot be described in words. It is better to see it for yourself." Then, it gave a thoughtful look. "Actually, heaven also has its own structure."

"Really?" Hinamori peered curiously.

"Well…ummm…yeah…but again…it is something you need to see for yourself to understand."

"To see for myself…but…wouldn't that mean that I have to die first in order to see those?" She pointed out.

The black animal chuckled once again. "Yes, indeed. That is the rule. For a human to see the spirit world…he/she has to die first. And what's more, he/she can only see one side. Either heaven or hell…depending on his/her deeds while she was alive."

"So that part is true?" The girl asked.

"Isn't it what, if not all, most religion says?" The cat remarked.

Hinamori could only form her mouth into an 'Oh' as she tried to absorb what the cat was telling to her.

The cat continued. "Still, as per tradition, there are devils who's primary tasks where to accommodate wishes. It is solely for the purpose of accumulating more souls to go to hell."

"And you are actually suggesting that I go into contract with them?" Hinamori was finally able to catch up with what the feline was saying. "Even though, I'm going to lose my soul in exchange for it?"

The cat smiled. "**There are ways for you not to lose your soul.**"

"Eh? I don't understand."

"There goes that word again." It closed its pale yellow eyes and sighed. "Unfortunately, like what I said, there is no other way for me to tell you. I cannot make you comprehend this way." Then, it glanced once more at the hazel-eyed girl. "Why don't we go back to my little offer? I like you that is why I am not going to ask anything in return." It went back on its feet and paced at Hinamori. "I really need to go back to my master. I won't have the leisure of staying with you any longer. I'm going to tell you how to summon one, and it is going to be up to you on whether or not you are going to use it."

"Neko-chan…"

"Sa…sa…" Her feline friend shook its head. "…just listen. If you ever decide to go through it, let me give you a peice ofadvice." It looked intensely at her. "**Only wish for what your heart truly desires**. Listen to it and nothing more. Don't let yourself be influenced by the circumstances you've been to…or **the losses you've gained in your life**. Don't think…just act according to intuition. Material things won't do you any good. **A contract with a being from hell will be more powerful if it is something not tangible**. It **will decrease the chance** of losing your soul."

"What do you mean?" Hinamori's voice almost came out as a whisper as she met the feline's mysterious gaze.

"You'll know it…" The cat smiled darkly. "…once you get to face **_him_**."

"?"

* * *

The door of the school's art studio slid open and revealed a surprised individual. 

"Hinamori!" The girl exclaimed as she saw her meek classmate with their finished art project.

"Oh Tatsuki-chan," Hinamori smiled. "I finally woke up early." She scratched her head. "Too early, actually. I was here for more than three hours now."

"Three hours! Wouldn't that mean that you've been here since 4 am?" Tatsuki asked bewildered.

Hinamori looked slightly embarrassed but nevertheless confirmed the query. "Yes."

"Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhh?"

The hazel-eyed girl giggled. "You don't need to look so startled, Tatsuki-chan."

"Why wouldn't I? And besides…you didn't go to school yesterday. Sensei said you were not feeling well and now you tell me that you've been here since 4 am. Are you sure you are alright now?" Tatsuki asked with a tinged of worry in her voice.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you so much for worrying." She smiled tenderly. "E-to…" She picked up their project. "It's all finished now, Tatsuki-chan. We can pass this today."

"Hmmm? Why today? It is not the deadline yet." Her classmate said as she studied the artwork before her.

"Ummmm…that's because…" Hinamori stammered. Why did she say that they can pass it today? **She sounded as if there weren't going to be any other days**. She blinked in shock as she realized that it maybe due to **_that._**

'**_If you can have one wish…what would it be?'_**

The black cat's question rang inside her ears.

_My wish…_ Hinamori thought.

'**_I can tell you how to summon one.'_**

She swallowed hard. _To summon a devil..._

'**_You can ask for anything…'_**

She clasped her chest. _Anything…in exchange for my soul…_

"Oi…Hinamori," Tatsuki waved her hand in front of her classmate's face. "…anything wrong? You're spacing out."

"Eh?" Hinamori blinked.

"Geez…there you go again." Tatsuki sighed. "If you are back to being like that then it probably means that you are well now." Then, she placed their project back to its stand. "I don't see the need to pass this immediately, but then again…if you want to pass it that badly…why the hell not." She shrugged. "I'll tell sensei about it." She said as she started to leave the room.

Tatsuki's expression repeated inside her head.

'**_Why the hell not…'_**

_HELL…_ Hinamori grasped the words. _If I lose my soul…will it mean that I am going to spend an eternity of suffering in hell?_

'**_There are ways for you not to lose your soul.'_**

She remembered the cat once again. But like before, she doesn't understand what it means. It was saying both opposites to her. Then again, she didn't really feel afraid. Actually, everything sounded so inviting. For a short period of time, the black feline was like a friend to her. Surely, it wouldn't want something bad to happen to her, considering that it even gave a warning for her not to return to the shrine.

"Oi…aren't you coming?" Tatsuki's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"H—hai! You go ahead. I'll be there." She smiled weakly at the other girl.

"Eh? Okay." Tatsuki gave her an unsure glance but eventually left.

Once alone, Hinamori stared out the window. The mountain had remained quiet ever since the other night. It looked peaceful now, but Hinamori knew that things will wind up again tomorrow. Her feline friend told her so.

"I wonder…how come neko-chan knew all of these things?" She whispered as her eyes dreamily danced at the mysterious aura of Mt. Tenkou.

'**_Are you sure it is the mountain you seek? Was it the mountain…or the mystery behind it?'_**

She was surprised at herself when she actually had a difficult time answering that particular question which her feline friend threw at her.

"That is absurd." She started to say. "Why ask something about the mountain or the mystery behind it? If there was anything I would like, it is to bring Obasan back to my life. I want her to be with me once again." Her eyes wavered. "I don't want to be alone anymore."

Yet, the black animal's reminders flashed back to her.

'**_Don't let yourself be influenced by the circumstances you've been to…or the losses you've gained in your life.'_**

It greatly stressed the word 'losses' as if it was anticipating that she would probably consider bringing her grandmother back to life. A chill somewhat crept on Hinamori's back which made her hug herself.

'**_Only wish for what your heart truly desires.'_**

"Doesn't my heart truly desires for Obasan to be alive again?" She asked her unsure self. "This is all confusing and weird." She sighed and dug her hand inside her pocket to reveal a small slip of paper. It was a piece torn out from her notebook where she had hurriedly written down something the cat stressed to be too important for her to forget. She opened the folded paper which has a name written on it.

"**Abarai Renji.**" She read the name out loud. "Neko-chan specifically instructed for me to call out this devil if I ever decide to go through the wish thing."

Hinamori clutched the paper hard. "In exchange for my soul…" Then, she looked up and stared at the mountain. "…what my heart truly desires…" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to clear her mind. "…what my heart truly desires…" She said once more in a small voice. In an instant, an image flashed inside her mind. It was a recollection of a magnificent white dragon which roamed near Mt. Tenkou's peak the other night.

Hinamori gasped as her eyes flew open. "Where did that come from? Why did I think of that all of a sudden?"

The campus bell chimed as it signaled the start of classes that day. Outside the studio, students bustled about as they went to their respective classrooms. It was quite busy in the hallway which echoed to where Hinamori was. But despite all the noise, there was only one thing which kept getting played over and over inside her head—for some odd reason.

It was the voice of the black cat as it whispered in her ears the other night.

'_**Hitsugaya Toushirou. That white dragon's name is Hitsugaya Toushirou.'

* * *

**_

Sometime near sunset, Hinamori went up her house's roof. She was still wearing her school uniform as she sat and hugged her knees against the warm tiles. Strands escaped the bun which held her dark hair and tickled her thin neck. Her eyes were locked on Mt. Tenkou. She waited to see if the black cat was telling the truth when it said that things will perk up in the mountain once the sun sets that day. She remembered asking the cat many times as to why it knew these things in regards to the 'beings' seen in the mountain. But as always, it either avoided answering the question or ignored it altogether.

Common sense told her not to trust the cat, but instinct told her to ignore this because there was nothing common and logical about Mt. Tenkou and the fact that she seemed to have this special ability, complemented the whole thing.

"Maybe I should just ask for it to restore my blank memory of whatever happened that day when Obasan lost consciousness." She said half-jokingly. "It will finally calm my mind, though; I'm going to lose my soul for just a simple thing."

She gave a nervous chuckle, but nevertheless fished out the small piece of paper she had earlier.

"Abarai Renji…I wonder if I am already jinxed for knowing a devil's name?" She stared at the small piece of paper then to the mountain before her and bit her lip.

'**_You'll know it…once you get to face him.' _**Once again, the cat's words echoed in her ears.

"I'll know what?" She made a pouting face. "Aaaaaaaaaah…neko-chan, why do you have to keep talking in riddles!" She shouted on top of her lungs as if the cat will hear her that way.

She was silent for a moment then eventually sighed. She held another piece of paper on her hand. It was larger than the one which carried the devil's name. This one contained her little list of things she could wish for. Her list started quite reasonable but in the end, she added things that seemed to be too trivial which even lasted on and on, that she couldn't believe that she actually thought that her soul would be sold so cheaply. She eventually gave up and discontinued writing her wishes.

"I don't know why I am even considering this." She said to herself.

But inside, she knew why. Her life, as it currently was, doesn't have a meaning to her at all. She kept waking up every morning with the same hollow expression. She thought perhaps it was because she lost her grandmother, but now that she had been spending more time assessing things...even in her grandmother's last days in earth, she had already been roaming around with the same emptiness. The only time she recalled of her actually smiling wholeheartedly was back when she was young and would sneak out to play inside the shrine. Those where the days before that said incident of her grandmother passing out in the dirt path at the foot of the mountain.

So maybe the cat was right for asking her if it was the mountain which she sought.

Hinamori rested her head on her knees and glanced at her beloved mountain once more; deep in thought. Time passed as the sun started to set. The grounds became shadowed and the thick forested mountain began to be clothed with darkness.

"**I'm going to do this**." She suddenly said and stood up with underlying determination with her hand balled into a fist.

* * *

**--Meanwhile…somewhere in the netherworld--**

"Are the troops in position?" A white-haired serious-looking boy asked the blonde man beside him.

"Hai." The blonde man nodded. "We are only waiting for the 18th hour to begin the attack as planned."

"Good." The boy said reservedly as he placed his hands on his back with a frown etched on his forehead.

The blonde man noticed this. "Taichou-sama, there is no need for you to be troubled." He smiled. "We've been winning battles lately thanks to your flawless execution. And their squad's most powerful archangel got severely injured two days ago. Today's battle won't be as challenging as before. We will win this in a breeze."

"I know that." The white-haired Taichou answered.

"Then, why the frown?" His subordinate pointed out.

"I don't know." The boy replied. "I feel that something is going to happen."

"Eh? Intuition? Is it a warning in regards to the attack we are planning?"

"I'm not sure, Kira." The white-haired boy said. "I couldn't tell, but whatever it is…I would like the units to be prepared."

"Alright, I will tell them not to get lax. Taichou-sama's intuition is something we shouldn't ignore." With that, he bowed and instantly disappeared.

"My intuition…" The white-haired boy whispered to himself as he glanced at his legion which started to fall into formation below. "…it feels more like…something not good is going **to directly happen to me today**."

* * *

Hinamori sat on the wooden steps at the back of the abandoned shrine with her hands clutching the pale gray skirt of her school uniform. 

She had done it. She had successfully drawn a circle with an inverted star inside on the dry earth. Five rocks were placed at each pointed tip of the star and candles stood at center of each small triangle except for the pentagram at the heart of the star. At the lowest arc, she had etched the name **_'Abarai Renji'_**. It was what the black cat instructed.

Now, the only thing left to do was…

Hinamori reached out for another piece of paper. This time, it contained words…or rather…sentences in a language which she doesn't understand. Her feline friend specifically told her to start chanting the words over and over again while thinking of the devil she wishes to summon. In this case, she needed to concentrate on the name**, _'Abarai Renji'_** in order for her to call him out properly.

She breathed in deeply. She still didn't know what she was going to wish for, but somehow…inside her…she really wanted to know what will happen. Will a horned, winged and pointed tail creature appear before her? She was not going to lie. Inside, she was pretty excited. Amongst all, it was her curiosity that pushed her to actually do something like this.

**Curiosity…**

The very same curiosity which had been eating her up since she laid her eyes on Mt. Tenkou.

She knew she was being reckless, but what the heck? It was not like she had anyone or any plans for the future. She was alone.

Should she ask for wealth?

Should she ask for friends?

Should she ask for her family?

She really doesn't care much right now. If she was going to follow what her heart desired like what the black cat told her to…her heart desired one thing at the moment.

It desired to satisfy her curiosity.

So without any more logical thoughts, her adventurous side took over as she started chanting the foreign words. But minutes passed and nothing seemed to be happening.

"I think I am doing this all wrong." She said and stared at the paper. "It's hard to think about the name while reading this at the same time."

She studied the phrases written on the paper. "I wonder what kind of language this is." She tilted her head and sighed. "It would have been easier if I can understand it. Concentrating with eyes closed is better than opened ones while reading."

Then, she suddenly shouted. "Come out, Abarai Renji and grant me a wish!" She shakily pointed an arm before her. "Come out. Come out." She started dancing around and made funny positions with her hands. "Come out. Come out."

She eventually ended up laughing at herself. "This is silly. I can't believe I am doing this." She shook her fist towards the mountain path. "If I ever see you again, neko-chan…I'm going to tickle you to death for making me do such a stupid thing!" She chuckled.

By this time, the sun had already set. The night sky started to spread like a dark carpet of blue velvet. One by one, stars appeared and started to twinkle. There was no moon that night, so the only light Hinamori had was the light from the five candles which stood inside the circle she had drawn earlier.

"Well at least, the candles looked beautiful." She said as she sat down at the foot of the circle.

The whole place was quiet that Hinamori felt the lids of her eyes getting heavy. "I'm so tired. I woke up early this morning and now I am doing this meticulous thing." She yawned and was about to clean up the mess she made when flocks of birds flew away from the trees in the mountain.

"Huh? Did something disturb the birds?" Hinamori's eyes roamed the area.

And as if on cue, the atmosphere started to change. She gulped as she realized that cloaked things were emerging from the ground inside the woods and unto the tall trees. She felt a shiver went up her spine. For some reason, there were lots of them this time.

Lot…a whole lot!

Hinamori stepped back as her eyes grew wider. The number of cloaked 'beings' were dominating the number of trees which stood in Mt. Tenkou. They looked like a sea of moving shadows taking over the greenery.

"What's happening?" She murmured.

Above, shiny objects were flapping down around the mountain's peak. Eventually, Hinamori realized that it wasn't just 'shiny objects'. They were wings.

'**_Those with shiny feathered wings are angels. The cloaked ones are devils.' _**That was what the black cat said.

"Angels…and devils…" Hinamori blinked. "Weeeeeeeh! How come there are so many devils compared to the angels?"

She really didn't know what was going on. Common sense was telling her to just get the hell out of there. But still…

"If there are these many devils around then perhaps one of them is Abarai Renji." Her curiosity had beaten her common sense once more.

So again, she paced before her pentagram and took a deep breath. "This time, I'm going to memorize you." She said to the piece of paper in her hand as if it was a person. "Just two lines of unknown language. How hard can it be?"

Despite the commotion happening at the forest before her, Hinamori concentrated in memorizing the phrases from the cat; until the time came that she felt confident enough to chant it without the paper.

"Yoshi!" She stomped her feet on the ground and closed her eyes. "Abarai Renji…" She started chanting the words she just memorized over and over again while thinking of the name given by her feline friend.

The clouds above Mt. Tenkou started to change along with the commotion happening in the mountain. Even with closed eyes, Hinamori knew lightning was already flashing in the newly formed clouds when she heard thunder booming. Her heart thumped faster.

_That signal… _A part of her thought. _…thunder…lightning…and… _Cold air started to whisk around Hinamori's face. _…those only mean one thing…_

In a snap, the name of Abarai Renji, which she had been desperately concentrating on inside her head, was replaced with something else.

It was **replaced with an image of a white dragon** she had been amazed with ever sincethe day she first saw it. Even the voice of the cat who whispered in her ear the night before, came flooding back to her that **without even realizing it**…

…she blurted it out…

…loud and clear.

"**Hitsugaya Toushirou**…" She said **wholeheartedly without fail** after the last word of the chant.

In an instant, the pentagram before her lit up an enormous light bluish glow as it gave out a forceful pressure which made Hinamori stumble back and watched the supernatural event with a pair of wide yet anticipating eyes.

* * *

**--Back in the netherworld--**

"Taichou-sama! You're right! Most of them had gone back to heaven. Only a few of them are left here." A man wearing a black kimono exclaimed. He was followed by nods of agreement by those around them who were all wearing the same thing. It was also noticeable that each of these men had a traditional katana held by a firm sash at their waist.

"Ah." Their white-haired captain replied. "Still, I want all of you to be prepared. Make sure to take them all out. I don't want anyone of those angels lingering in our boundaries." He ordered.

"Hai." Everyone around him bowed in acknowledgement.

"Taichou-sama…it's time!" Someone in the far end called out.

"Good." The white-haired boy nodded and focused his attention to where the remaining of their enemies had stashed out. "Get ready, everyone. Pull out your zanpakutous." He was referring to the katanas each of his men held. He, himself, unsheathed his own katana with a four-star handle. Unlike his subordinates, he carried his zanpakutou on his back held by strap with a green clip.

His men obeyed and went to combat positions.

"Let's go!" The white-haired boy commanded which was followed by a wave of shouts from his units as they started to make their way towards the deadly plain.

But as the white-haired captain made a step forward, the ground beneath him started to glow which earned the attention of those around him.

"What the…!" He was stopped dead in his tracks as the glow formed a circle beneath him.

"Taichou-sama!" Almost in unison, his subordinates called out to him; both in surprise and worry.

But the glow kept growing. Soon after, a pentagram started to appear inside the circle which made the white-haired boy gasp.

"**These are…**" He muttered in bewilderment as he recognized the marks etched within the inverted star. **"…summoning chants?**"

"WAaaaaaaaaaai! Taichou-sama!" His men went back towards where their captain was held motionless.

With no second sooner, the white-haired boy shouted back to his units. "Tell Kira to continue with the attack as planned!"

"Taichou…"

But the bluish glow was becoming enormous that the white-haired captain felt himself getting lifted. "There is no time! Don't think of me. I'm going to be fine! Just carry out my order! But make sure that Kira knew what just happened here!" With that, the light engulfed the white-haired boy and he was gone from the battlefield.

The moment their captain disappeared, a blonde man wearing the same black kimono came running towards them. He was panting. It was obvious that he came from afar.

"What happened! Where's Taichou-sama!" He exclaimed.

"Kira-san…" One of the troops spoke. "…the captain…I think…" He sounded unsure.

"What!"

"I think he just got summoned to the human world." The subordinate finally said.

The blonde man looked dumbfounded for a moment but eventually exploded.

"That's impossible!" Kira shouted. "The captain is an **Andras-level devil**. He wasn't supposed to be invoked out of nowhere." He shook his head in disbelief. "**You can't simply summon Hitsugaya-Taichou just like that!**"

* * *

**--Back in the human world—at the abandoned shrine--**

Hinamori was staring in awe as her simple pentagram became elaborated as she saw the words she was chanting earlier materializing within the inverted star. Oddly enough, the candles stood sturdy and with its flame full and high despite the strong gust of wind which blew from an unknown origin at the center of the circle.

_What is this force? It feels like some kind of pressure pushing my body down. _She thought as she closed her eyes and tried shielding herself with her arms. Then in one enormous flash, everything became still.

Slowly, Hinamori opened her eyes. She was sitting on the hard earth as she peered at the pentagram. The candles were still there as if nothing happened, but what met her gaze startled her.

Standing in the center of the pentagram was a boy. He seemed to be around twelve years of age but strangely enough, his hair was all white. He was wearing a black kimono and a white haori.The white haori doesn't have any sleeves which exposed the black textile underneath. The end of its lengthy fabric has small black circles drawn on it. It seemed that there was something written on the back of his garment, but Hinamori couldn't make it out from her view. In his hand, he held a weapon. It was a long katana with a four-tipped gold handle which looked like a star.

_He looks like a small samurai boy from the Edo Period. _She thought.

Her gaze traveled back to his face only to be met by a pair of cold piercing green eyes. Hinamori thought his eyes were mesmerizing in contrast to his white hair. Although a frown was deeply etched on his forehead, she kept on staring at him in awe.

For a minute, they just looked at each other. Until finally, it was Hinamori who spoke first.

"Who are you?" She asked.

The white-haired boy almost lost his balance. "What do you mean…who am I? You're the one who summoned me here."

"Summoned?" Hinamori blinked and glanced at the piece of paper she was holding. "Oh! Are you Abarai Renji?"

"What!" The white-haired boy's brow started to twitch.

Hinamori showed him the piece of paper she was holding. "**Abarai Renji**" She repeated in parallel to the words written on the paper.

"Are you insulting me?" He looked calm but there was a tinged of anger in his voice which made Hinamori retract the paper she was holding towards her.

"You're not Abarai Renji?" She asked in a small voice.

"Do I look like an idiotic red demon to you!" He finally exploded.

"Weh? But…but…I specifically asked for an Abarai Renji." She pointed at the lower arc of the circle where she had written Abarai Renji's name.

With the frown never leaving his face, the white-haired demon stepped forward and looked at what the girl was pointing. Indeed, Abarai Renji's name was written at the foot of the pentagram. "What the hell…" He said.

"And you're not him?" Hinamori asked once more.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" The white-haired boy replied with annoyance, but nevertheless let his eyes skim the whole pentagram. _This is impossible. _He thought as he studied the ancient words of the chants inscribed in it.

"A-no…" Hinamori hesitated but eventually continued. "…who are you then?"

The boy placed his katana into its sheath on his back and shot her a side glance. He was about to retort something harsh but halted himself when he saw how innocent and clueless the hazel-eyed girl looked. So instead, he diverted his eyes in a snobbish way. "**Hitsugaya Toushirou**. **My name is Hitsugaya Toushirou**." He said and paced towards the other end of the circle to sit on a nearby rock as he continued to study the pentagram before him.

Hinamori's mouth dropped open. "Hi—Hitsugaya…Toushi-rou…" She mumbled under her breath. The image of a white dragon came back to her. "But you're…**a boy**."

"Huh?" The white-haired boy arched his brow. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Ummm…" Hinamori squeezed the garment of her skirt. Should she tell? She glanced at the intense green eyes and felt her face flushed. "No—nothing…I mean…umm…I was expecting a devil." She said instead.

The boy's demeanor was calm but it was obvious that he was getting ticked inside. "**I am a devil**."

"Eh?" Hinamori blinked. "Re—really?" _So, the white dragon is a devil? But…if that white dragon is Hitsugaya Toushirou and this boy is also Hitsugaya Toushirou…are they one and the same? _

"Look here, mortal..." The white-haired devil's voice sliced through the air like a cold sting of icy wind. "…I have no idea how you managed to call me, but what exactly is your purpose for doing this?" He tapped his foot at the head of the pentagram.

Hinamori fidgeted. "I'm trying to get a wish?"

"A wish?"

"Hai. I was told that devils can grant wishes." She replied.

The boy who claimed to be Hitsugaya dropped his mouth open. "**Are you telling me that you invoked me here so I could grant you a wish?**"

Hinamori peered cutely. "Umm…yes?"

"WHAT?"

"Is there anything wrong with that?" She asked innocently.

"Anything wrong? Who do you think I am?" The boy exclaimed. "Why do you keep insulting me?" That moment, the white-haired devil started to illuminate a bluish light with his eyes started glowing menacingly.

"But…but…I didn't mean to…right from the start I was calling an Abarai Renji!" Hinamori hurriedly defended herself. "I don't know what's going on! I don't know why you ended up here, anyway!" She said on top of her voice as the air pressure around them started growing intense. "Please don't be angry!" She shielded her arms. The piece of cloth which held the bun of her hair was blown away.

For a moment there, she thought that the white-haired boy will do something to her but was relieved when the surroundings became calm again. She peered in between the gaps of her arms and saw the boy shaking with his eyes closed. He left his seat on the rock and was now standing inside the circle. His hands were all balled into a fist as if he was trying to restrain himself.

"You…" He started to say. "…you don't have any clue on what kind of pentagram you just made, do you?"

"Eh?" Then, she looked at the circle under his foot. "What do you mean?" She asked in a small voice.

Hitsugaya opened his eyes. "Where did you get the knowledge of creating something like this?"

Hinamori blinked. The boy seemed to have gone back to his composed self. She breathed in relief. "From neko-chan."

"Neko-chan?"

She nodded. "A black cat that I became friends with…it was the one who told me all about the wish thing and provided instructions on how to summon a devil."

"A black cat?" Hitsugaya's frown deepened. "And you met this feline where?"

"Here." She answered. "In this shrine."

"Don't humans in the town nearby have laws against people going beyond the fence at the foot of Tenkou?"

"Wai? You knew about that?" Hinamori's eyes lit up and clapped her hands. "I had the impression that you guys completely ignored whatever happens outside the mountain."

The white-haired boy caught this. "You had the impression? You sounded like you knew that we exist within the mountain."

"Well umm…yeah…sort of." Hinamori fidgeted once more.

"Sort of?"

"Ummm…" She avoided the boy's searching stare. For some reason, unlike when she was with the cat, she felt embarrassed and shy under his eyes. But she was saved when a large booming sound which crashed near Mt. Tenkou's peak. This diverted both her and the white-haired devil's attention.

"Hmph." Hitsugaya haughtily smirked as he fixed his gaze towards the mountain. "…that's it. Way to go, Kira. That will finish them off."

"But somehow it seemed silent compared to earlier." Hinamori said. Her eyes were also focused on the acclaimed peak. "The thunder and lightning disappeared."

"Of course, it will disappear." Hitsugaya casually said. "I am down here and…" But he cut himself when he realized something which made him dart his gaze back towards the hazel-eyed girl. "**You can see the things happening inside? **What's more…**" **He walked to where Hinamori was. "…you are aware of the thunder and lightning…which means…"

Hinamori really felt embarrassed. Her face was starting to get warm.

"Look at me." The white-haired boy commanded.

She cringed but eventually complied and met his surprised green eyes.

"You can see me, too…can't you?" He said.

"Umm…" She laughed nervously and jokingly replied. "Of course, I can see you. I am talking to you now, aren't I?" She extended her hands to playfully touch the boy in front of her. "See…I can even touch you."

But Hitsugaya caught both of her wrists and held them. "That is not what I mean."

"Eh?" He was so near and she knew she was blushing. _This is silly…why I am reacting this way? He is a devil for crying out loud…ah well…a cute little devil. _Hinamori bit her lip.

"You've seen my astral form, haven't you?" The white-haired devil asked once more.

"Astral form?"

Hitsugaya stared at her. "Why is that you look so innocent and knowing at the same time?"

"Eh? Eh?"

"Fine…I'll go straight to the point. Did you…or did you not…see a white dragon roaming around that mountain every now and then?" He asked flat out.

"I…" Hinamori murmured weakly. "…I did."

For a moment, he looked like he was gaping at her. His green eyes wavered but nevertheless, it only lasted for a few seconds. "Did you…" He started to say in a more gentle tone. "…did you…by any chance…**thought of that white dragon while you were chanting **before the pentagram earlier?"

"I did." She whispered truthfully.

Hitsugaya was silent as he stared at the girl's hazel eyes. He eventually let go of her wrists. "I see." Was the only thing he said before turning around and walked back in the middle of the circle.

"A-no…" Hinamori started to say.

"Mortal…your name…what is your name?" He asked.

"Hi—hinamori…" She stammered. "Hinamori Momo."

"Hinamori…There are many kinds of pentagrams." The white-haired boy remarked with his back at her. "This thing you've drawn out here is just one of them."

"Really?" She said meekly.

"Ah." Hitsugaya closed his eyes. "Something like this is not supposed to be known to a human, but I have no other choice but to tell you about it since you partially entered the start of a binding contract when you actually end up summoning a devil before you." He explained. "That was one of the conditions of this pentagram you made. The first line of that chant you used clearly signifies this. That is why…I need to impart some of that knowledge to you…as a basic rule."

Hinamori was silent as she listened to what the boy was saying.

"A wish you say? That was your intention right from the start?" He asked.

"Hai."

"Although, this pentagram indeed gives you the opportunity to ask for a wish…there are certain complexity that I think you should know which I think your feline friend missed out on telling you." He said.

"What is it?"

"No matter how many times you call out Abarai Renji's name, he would never appear before you."

"Eh? Why? Did neko-chan make a mistake?" Hinamori blinked at the piece of paper she was holding.

"Now, isn't that a mystery? I'm not sure what your so-called 'cat friend's intentions were, but right from the start…this place…" He motioned to the abandoned shrine. "…and that pentagram…will never make it possible for a **_Ronwe _**to get summoned. The barrier set around this shrine will be something difficult for a Ronwe to penetrate."

"A Ronwe?" She looked confused at the unknown word.

"Yeah," He placed his hands on his back. "**A Ronwe is a minor demon who commands 19 legions of devils**."

"Ehhhhhhhh?"

"We have different ranks in hell." The white-haired boy continued. "I don't expect for a human to know it since religion had taken much influence in the mortal world."

"Different ranks?"

"We have different tasks…certain duties and revoltingly…granting wishes **never became part of my job.** But going back to Abarai Renji…" He finally faced her with a very serious expression on his face. "…granting wishes **wasn't **also a part of his duties."

"Eh? I don't understand."

"Abarai is a demon…not a devil."

"But…aren't demons and devils the same?"

Hitsugaya's brow twitched. "**No**."

"Is this why you were angry before?" Hinamori asked.

"A demon is a _being_ in hell that is of much lower rank than a devil." The white-haired boy said airily. "Although, there were some who can be very powerful, **demons do not have the ability to grant wishes**. Only devils can do that."

"Really? But…" She frowned at the piece of paper she held.

"Like what I said…I don't know what your feline friend's intentions were. Perhaps, it was someone who belonged to the netherworld and was playing a joke on you, but apparently you end up summoning an actual devil." He looked away. For some reason, he seemed uncomfortable.

"But you said that devils belong to a higher rank than demons, then why is that he gets to command 19 legions of devils?" Hinamori pointed out.

"There are exceptions. Like what I said, there are demons that can be powerful. It so happens that Abarai is one of those demons." He cleared his throat. "Still, even if Abarai really did turn out to be a devil…it is unthinkable for him to grant wishes."

"Why is that?"

"**Only low-classed devils do the wish granting thing**." Hitsugaya replied.

"Eh?" She did recall the black cat saying something around those lines. "Is this why…you asked me earlier if I was insulting you?"

"Yeah." The white-haired devil looked away again.

"Is it alright if I ask you, what your rank is?" Hinamori queried in a small unsure tone.

"**I'm an Andras.**" Hitsugaya answered flatly.

"Andras?"

"I command **30 legions of devils**."

"Wwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh?" Hinamori blinked. Nineteen legions sounded awful a lot to her…but thirty. "I see…no wonder you were mad."

Hitsugaya knew that there was more to his rank than just commanding 30 legions of devils. There was also his noble background but there was no need for a human girl to know about that.

…even if she had successfully pulled off a rare pentagram.

_That kind of rare pentagram…_ His thoughts swam inside him. _How was it possible…? Someone like her…_ He glanced at the girl who seemed to be lost with her thoughts. _...with someone like me. And she clearly saw my astral form… _His green eyes wavered. _…which activated that pentagram…such a thing won't work if there wasn't a…_ He riveted his eyes from her. **_…if there wasn't a…_**

"I'm sorry." He heard Hinamori say as she bent low to the ground to say her apologies. "I'm so sorry."

Before them, Mt. Tenkou's aura was starting to clear up. Silence returned to the mountain and the clear sky above revealed many shiny stars.

_The battle is over. _Hitsugaya thought as he looked up at the dark forested mountain. _It would take a while for another attack to happen. _He frowned. _I must report immediately back to Enma. _He shot another glance at the girl. He doesn't have the luxury to stay long even though he had many questions brewing up inside him, he couldn't ignore that he was a very busy devil in the netherworld. _Might as well get over this._

He sighed and faced the girl. "Oi…I need to go back. If it's a wish you want, then it is a wish you'll get."

The girl's face lit up. "Really! You don't mind?"

"I wasn't expecting for someone like myself to get into this petty little thing," The white-haired devil said. "But it is too late for me to ignore this; therefore, I shall go as to what the rulebook says. I think you already know the drill." He sighed again with irritation. "So okay…I will grant you a wish…any kind of wish. But in return…when you die…**you will give me your soul**."

"Any kind of wish?" She asked.

"Whatever your heart desires." He confirmed. "But keep in mind that your soul will be mine **after you're done with this lifetime** and that will mean an eternity of suffering in hell."

She just stared at the white-haired devil. "Whatever my heart desires…" Once again, the cat's word came flooding back to her.

'**_Only wish for what your heart truly desires. Listen to it and nothing more. Don't let yourself be influenced by the circumstances you've been to…or the losses you've gained in your life. Don't think…just act according to intuition. Material things won't do you any good. A contract with a being from hell will be more powerful if it is something not tangible.'_**

Hinamori inhaled deeply. The boy in front of her looked nothing like a devil. His white hair illuminated against the darkness of the night. His green eyes were something she would like to often gaze at. _Is he really Hitsugaya Toushirou? _The image of the white dragon swam back to her and she felt herself lost once again. _This is Hitsugaya Toushirou…the dragon I've always waited to see every time Mt. Tenkou changes its condition. _She felt teary-eyed. _I don't know why I feel this way._

"You can still say 'No', you know, and stop wasting both our time. Like what I said, I don't need to do this petty thing. This is something done by devils way below my rank. This is not my job in the first place…" The boy continued, unaware of her inner thoughts.

'**_What your heart truly desires…'_**

That moment, the list she made earlier seemed to have been forgotten. She felt warm inside as she stared at the white-haired boy in front of her.

But, the unexpected happened. Something blurry took over Hinamori's consciousness.

'_She was reaching out…reaching out for something or rather…**someone**. She could see small hands…like that of a child. She knew they were her own hands. She continued to reach out. She was crying. She could barely see with tears blocking her sight. _

_Then…there was indeed someone…**there was a man**…standing a few feet away. He seemed to have equally **white hair** and was wearing something black and white. She reached out but felt herself falling. She anticipated the hard ground but she felt herself landing on something soft instead. It was the man. He had caught her…she grabbed hold of his garment and buried her tear stricken face on his chest. It felt really warm…then everything went blank.'_

"Oi," Hitsugaya's stern voice rang in the air. "…what do you think you are doing?"

Just then, Hinamori was found slumped at the foot of the white-haired devil. Her eyes were blank as she grabbed hold of Hitsugaya's clothes like there was no tomorrow. He placed his hand on her arms to peel off her grip, only to find the girl trembling. "Oi…" He blinked, unsure on what was currently happening.

"**I don't want to be alone anymore**." Hinamori murmured.

"What?"

Then, she looked up at him with pleading yet faraway eyes which surprised him. "**Take me with you.**" She said softly as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"What the hell…" Hitsugaya's expression was mix of shock and indifference at the absurd thing the girl was asking.

"**Please…"** Hinamori continued to say. She seemed to have cracked for some unknown reason. **"…don't leave me again."**

"What are you saying? I don't know what you are talking about!" Slight panic was starting to overcome Hitsugaya. The girl won't let go of him and at this rate...

He glanced towards the second line of the chant inscribed at the pentagram. He saw it glowing which meant that it was only waiting **for the key word**. He focused his attention back to the girl. "You…what's wrong with you? Get yourself together already!" He shook Hinamori's shoulders and even tried prying her hands off him but to no avail.

"I **wish** to be with you." She finally said.

The white-haired devil's eyes were wide. "No…" He saw every word inside the pentagram lit up.

Hinamori closed her eyes and hugged his waist. "**I want to be with you! My wish is to be at your side for as long as you live!**"

In an instant, both the girl and the boy got enveloped with a cylindrical bluish light which filled the skies above with the markings of the pentagram. Thus that night, the contract between Hinamori Momo, a human girl, and Hitsugaya Toushirou, an Andras devil, **was sealed for eternity**.

* * *

(UP Next: Chapter Three: "**That Place Called Hell")

* * *

**

**Author's Note:**

It seems that the bleach community in ff dot net is quite slow. It had been days and I can still see my story in the second page. In CCS subcategory, it might have been buried by now. Oo

Thanks for all the initial reviews. Please don't forget to drop one after reading this.

(Oh…btw…I didn't make up those devil ranks. Lolz you can find them somewhere in the Book of Devils and Demons. ;P But I won't follow it that accurately…just something to give this fic a structure.)


	3. That Place Called Hell

"**_Sealed in Mt. Tenkou"_**

By Majah

**Disclaimer:**

I don't own Bleach but I do own the story in this fic and things that are non-Bleach. All the name of places, historical events and other things mentioned which you don't seem to know IRL, are products of my imagination. Any similarities with the actual thing are purely coincidental.

* * *

**From Previous Chapter:**

Then, she looked up at him with pleading yet faraway eyes which surprised him. "**Take me with you.**" She said softly as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"What the hell…" Hitsugaya's expression was mix of shock and indifference at the absurd thing the girl was asking.

"**Please…"** Hinamori continued to say. She seemed to have cracked for some unknown reason. **"…don't leave me again."**

"What are you saying! I don't know what you are talking about!" Slight panic was starting to overcome Hitsugaya. The girl won't let go of him and at this rate...he glanced towards the second line of the chant inscribed at the pentagram. He saw it glowing which meant that it was only waiting **for the key word**. He focused his attention back to the girl. "You…what's wrong with you? Get yourself together already!" He shook Hinamori's shoulders and even tried prying her hands off him but to no avail.

"I **wish** to be with you." She finally said.

The white-haired devil's eyes were wide. "No…" He saw every word inside the pentagram lit up.

Hinamori closed her eyes and hugged his waist. "**I want to be with you! My wish is to be at your side for as long as you live!**"

In an instant, both the girl and the boy got enveloped with a cylindrical bluish light which filled the skies above with the markings of the pentagram. Thus that night, the contract between Hinamori Momo, a human girl, and Hitsugaya Toushirou, an Andras devil, **was sealed for eternity**.

* * *

**Chapter Three: "That Place Called Hell"**

Hinamori slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry but it eventually became clearer. She saw acrisscrossed woodenceiling which looked old but cobweb-free. A scent of nature beckoned her as awareness took over.

"This is…" She murmured sleepily and rolled her head to one side. "…the traditional house inside the forest." She said as her eyes met the familiar window. It was already morning and the sun's rays shone inside the humbly furnished room. "What I am doing here?" She felt something soft beneath her and realized that she was lying on top of a thin mattress.

"I carried you here." Someone replied.

She gasped the moment she heard the voice and got up into sitting position. "Y—you…"

"Yeah…me."

A white-haired boy sat at the other end of the room. His back leaned against the sill of a window. He was looking outside with a frown.

"Hitsugaya Toushirou." Hinamori whispered.

Hitsugaya folded one leg and propped his arm on top of his knee. "Funny…now you seem to know my name without fail."

Hinamori lowered her eyes and hugged the sheets.

The boy continued. "On top of that…you also seem to know this place."

"Oh!...neko-chan…took me here the other day." She said.

"Neko-chan again." A growing irritation was evident in his tone. "The moment we go back in hell, I'll order a full search for that blasted cat."

Hinamori grew worried. "Please don't hurt neko-chan! I consider him as my friend…and…" Then, she realized something. "Wait a minute…_'the moment **we **go back in hell'_?" She looked at the white-haired boy with confused eyes.

Hitsugaya lightly huffed as he threw her a side glance. "Well don't look at me like that. It was you who wished for it. If you want to be with me for as long as I live, then that's the only place you'll ever be from now on."

Hinamori tilted her face. "I…want to be with you?" One could almost see question marks flying around her head.

It was Hitsugaya's turn to blink. "Oi..." He stared at girl's innocent eyes. "…you…"

"Me?" She pointed a finger under her chin.

The white-haired devil's brow twitched. "You've got to be kidding me. **You don't remember?**"

"Remember what?" Hinamori asked.

Hitsugaya stood up in one brisk action and strode towards Hinamori. "Last night…your wish last night…**you made a wish last night**!" He roared which made the girl fall back.

"I…already made a wish?" The girl blinked as her mind tried reflecting back to yesterday's events.

The white-haired boy's face was indescribable, but from the way his hands were balled into fists and how his body seemed to be slightly shaking, he was a mere image of someone who was restraining himself…**greatly **restraining himself.

"You better think hard." He remarked as he gritted his teeth. "It is something that you shouldn't be forgetting."

Hinamori knew that Hitsugaya was really serious. Even though his features were thatof a boy's, the fact still remained that he was a devil. Aggravating him wouldn't be wise. So, she pondered deeply into her mind.

_What happened last night? _She asked herself.

Images of scenes which happened the night before started flooding back to Hinamori. It was from the time she made the pentagram up to the moment she was able to summon the white-haired devil. She recalled him asking for her wish as he decided to just go through the whole process. She felt herself being torn inside. She remembered being confused. Then, something happened.

_Something I can't recall…_ She frowned. _This is not good. Why is this happening to me? Why do I keep having holes in my memory? _She tried hard as she closed her eyes, but unfortunately, everything came up blank.

Just like that day when her grandmother fell on the dirt path…

Just like that day when she desperately looked for help…

_Just like that day when all that was left to me was a feeling of hollowness and unknown pain. _She concluded.

Hinamori didn't know what to do. No matter how much she tried, the same blank memory invaded her mind.

"I'm so sorry." She murmured and bowed down to the white-haired devil. "I tried… but I couldn't remember."

"WHAT?" Hitsugaya narrowed his eyes. "Are you toying with me?"

Hinamori shook her head. "No…I am not. Please don't be mistaken. I don't want to make you angrier than you already are, but I really can't remember." She looked up at him with pleading eyes. "The only thing I can recall was when you were asking me for my wish. Only up to there."

Inside, Hitsugaya was fuming. The girl seemed to keep on insisting that she doesn't remember. "You are really driving my patience." He muttered under his breath. "Just because I look like a boy it doesn't mean that I am harmless." His green eyes glowed menacingly. "I would like to remind you that I am a devil—a high-ranked devil!"

"Hai!" Hinamori grasped the sheets. "I know that! I know that!" She exclaimed.

"Then, why do you keep doing things that makes me mad!" He roared once more.

"But it's the truth!" Hinamori said on top of her lungs. "It's the truth…" She repeated. "…I don't know what is wrong with me. This isn't the first time. There are also other things in my life which I can't remember." She covered her face with her palms. "And I have no idea why last night's incident has to be included in them." She was scared. The white-haired boy was emitting a powerful force which seemed to be raking against her skin. "I'm so sorry."

"Damn it." She heard Hitsugaya say. She squinted and saw the boy take another step towards her. "A-no…"

"Sit still." The white-haired boy's commanding tone emanated around the room. She did what she was told and nervously waited.

Hitsugaya reached out and placed his hand on top of her head. He closed his eyes as another type of pentagram appeared beneath them. The tint of blue in the light was darker than what was used the night before. Hinamori felt something hot gushing out from the white-haired boy's hand into the top of her head. It whelmed up until her whole head became hot inside.

"What are you…?" She spoke.

"Ssssh." Hitsugaya cut her off. His eyes were still closed and his frown was getting deeper by the second. It continued for a few more minutes until she heard him curse again.

"Damn it." He finally let go of her head. And as he opened his eyes, the bluish glow along with the pentagram, disappeared together with whatever force he emanted.

Hinamori was slightly dizzy, but nevertheless, mastered a way to bravely ask the white-haired devil. "What is it?"

"I can't believe you are actually telling the truth." Hitsugaya said as he ran his fingers on his face.

"Eh?"

Hitsugaya gazed at the girl in front of him and sighed. He just performed a minor take-over of the girl's body. One may call it a partial possession of a human. It was what priests tend to exorcise in certain situations when a devil or demon became bold enough to intervene in the human world. In this case, he only termed it as something 'partial' since he didn't take over the girl's whole body.

"I just tried possessing a part of your mind." He said.

Hinamori's eyes grew wide. "You tried possessing me?"

"Not all of you. Just a part of your mind." Hitsugaya repeated. "Specifically, the part which handles memory storage." He looked away with irritation carved in every corner of his face. "I keep getting a dead end in regards to the wish events last night." He regretfully remarked.

A hopeful expression overcame the girl's features. "So, you believe me now?"

"Ah." He reservedly answered.

Hinamori heaved a breath of relief. She was glad that everything was peaceful again.

"Don't look so relieved yet." The white-haired devil remarked as he started pacing towards the window. He let the wind blow against his face as he cleared his mind.

"What do you mean?" She asked with a small voice.

"The fact still remains that you did make a wish." He stated with his back against her. "And the contract was made."

"Contract? What exactly did I wish for? You're not tricking me now, are you?" Hinamori narrowed her eyes.

"Why would someone like me waste my time conning you with your pathetic little soul!"

"Fine…fine. I believe you. I seemed to trust too much these days anyway. Is this why you are bringing me to hell? Are you taking my soul now?" The girl queried.

With the mention of the word 'soul', Hitsugaya's shoulders droop down. "Not exactly." He said.

"Eh?"

The white-haired boy shot her a side glance. He didn't know how he was going to explain this to a wisher who had forgotten what she had wished for. Nevertheless, he continued. "You…" He riveted his gaze. "…asked to be with me."

"Wai?" Hinamori thought she heard wrong.

"You wished to be with me!" Hitsugaya grunted. "How many times do I have to repeat myself to you?"

"I…" Her eyes were as round as balls. "…wished to be with you." It came out in almost a whisper.

"Ah." He placed his hands behind his back. "For as long as I live."

"I did that? I wished for that?" Hinamori was appalled. "I actually wished to be with a devil?" She reached inside her pockets and fished out a piece of paper. "It doesn't even belong in my list." Apparently referring to what was written on the peeled-out leaf of her notebook.

Hitsugaya saw the girl as she looked thoughtfully at her personal list. "Well, you didn't." He paced back and snatched the paper out of her hand. He started reading the contents. "Why the hell didn't you wish for any of this!" A nerve popped out of his temple. "It would have made things easier."

Hinamori's eyes wavered. "I'm sorry. Like what I said…"

"Yeah…yeah I know. You don't remember." Hitsugaya sighed and tossed the paper back to her. He leaned on the wooden sill with his usual frown. "Why do these things have to happen to me?" He asked himself out loud. "First, I get assigned in the battle front at the boundary. Everyone knows that that is the most dreaded task for a devil officer. I have to balance things according to my units' power and our enemies'. Then when things were perking up, I ended up being summoned away by a human." He seemed to be talking on and on as if Hinamori wasn't there. "What's more…" Another grunt escaped his lips. "…I ended up having a loop contract with that human who doesn't even remember what she wished for."

"Loop contract?" Curiosity was reflected on her eyes.

"Ah." The white-haired boy massaged his temple. "It happens rarely…and I mean **really **rare. In fact, it is considered as taboo for our kind that it was never written down in our records. Only a few knew about it primarily because it was something passed on by word of mouth by selected individuals."

"Why was it taboo?" She asked. "Being with you means you get to own my soul, right? You still gain something no matter what."

"No. It isn't as simple as that." Hitsugaya replied. "A contract with us is actually technical. It is the same as how you will defend yourself in court. It was a deal with both parties agreeing in a common bargain. In this case, a soul for a wish." He faced the girl once more. "Let me explain this do you." He raised a finger. "One wish…you get one wish, and once you get a wish, I…the devil who will deliver the contract to you…shall have your soul after you die."

"Okay…" Hinamori locked her gaze at him as she tried to absorb his explanation.

"**After**…" The white-haired boy stressed. "…not within this lifetime but after. It was by default that whatever you wished for shall be granted and executed during your life in this earth."

The girl nodded.

"But you wished to be with me for as long as I live." Hitsugaya pointed out. "Which means that you are going to spend this lifetime with me. So **as long as I am alive, you have to be alive as well**. **You can't die**. I can't even kill you because the contract won't simply allow me to do so considering that I am the one granting your wish."

"R—really?"

"And what makes it a _'loop contract' _is the fact that hell **won't** be gaining a soul once I've fulfilled my part of the bargain."

Hinamori blinked. "I don't understand. Isn't my soul the thing bartered for in the first place?

Hitsugaya scratched his head. "Well that's it, you know. I get your soul once you die. But how can I do so when I…myself…is dead?"

"Wai!"

"Considering that a devil's lifespan is far longer…even considered of immortal origin…than a human's, **you will stay alive as long as I am alive.** You will only die when I die. As of last night, your lifespan as a human no longer follow yours, **it now followed mine**. That's the chain between us and that's how nature decides on these things. So logically, when **you die**…it means **I am dead as well**. And when that happens, **there will be no Hitsugaya Toushirou to take your soul from you**."

"Wait a minute? Does this mean…I get to keep my soul when that time comes?" The girl inquired anxiously.

"Technically…**yes**." Disdain filled the boy's face. "The contract is only between the devil summoned and the wisher. Only the two of them. Hell won't even intervene since the task of taking the bartered soul is solely for the devil in contract and no one else's."

The black cat's words came flooding back to Hinamori's mind.

'**_There are ways for you not to lose your soul.' _**It mysteriously said to her that day.

_Is this what neko-chan meant when it said that? _She thought.

"That's why it is called a _'loop contract'_. Your fate and my fate will loop around each other due to the wish. It ends when both of us are dead." He smacked his hand on the window's foundation. A human tagging along wherever he went will be a great nuisance. "You are just going to slow me down." He gritted his teeth. "You're going to be on my way."

"But…but…" Hinamori desperately tried to think of something that will at least make the white-haired boy feel better. She didn't like the way he seemed to be troubled. _Devil or not devil. _"…you are still going to take me to hell, right? So, my soul will still be in hell."

Hitsugaya sighed. "No…not really."

"?"

"Technically, your soul is going to be in hell, but it won't be hell's property." He leaned on the wooden sill and stared at the bonsai garden below. "When a wisher's soul is finally taken away as part of the contract, that individual will enter the gates of hell as a tormented soul. It will be logged by the demon who guards the main gate and that soul will be directed towards the seven chambers of punishment."

"Seven chambers of punishment?"

"Normally, when a bad person dies, his sins will be weighed and judged. Once he enters hell, his punishment will depend on how grave his sins were when he was still alive. He would be assigned to one of those seven chambers. Each chamber contained some endless type of punishment which will make that person suffer for eternity. Once a person enters a contract with a devil, when he/she dies…he/she would be automatically scheduled in a routine which will make him/her pass through **all **the seven chambers. Wishing something beyond what was meant for you on earth has its corresponding toll to your soul. In this world, everything should be balanced. You tip the scale then something bad will happen to both the spirit world and the human world." It was a long explanation, but Hitsugaya knew he had to make the girl understand.

"So the suffering is graver for us who entered a contract with one of you?" Hinamori asked.

"Yes." He plainly said. "But the situation with you is not like that at all. Like what I said…it is a 'loop contract'. You are still alive in your current lifetime. That is why…" He shot her another side glance. "…I am bringing you in hell, not as a tormented soul, **but in flesh and blood**."

"Which means…?" Hinamori blinked.

"Which means, I am bringing you as a whole—body and soul. As what you are now. Nothing more…nothing less." Hitsugaya explained. "But I'm not sure on how the official guard of Hell's gates will record your arrival, coz logically…you will be entering a different path. A path which leads to the part of hell where I live and not the seven chambers. It is where all other hell 'beings' stay. Not exactly a place a human should be."

"Really?" The girl's eyes lit up. "What is it like there?"

"Oi," Hitsugaya grouchily gazed at her. "Don't look too excited. Mind you that it is still hell."

"Oh yeah…" Hinamori felt embarrassed at her sudden outburst but nevertheless continued without really thinking. "…but…it is where Shiro-chan stays. I wonder what kind of place a cute little boy like you lived in."

Hitsugaya's brow twitched. "**Cute**_…twitch…_**little**…_twitch_…**boy**? _twitch_…**Shiro-chan? **_twitch_"

The hazel-eyed girl clapped her hands cheerfully. "Yes! Isn't that what you are?"

The white-haired devil faced her. His glare was equivalent to thousands of knives, though his voice was calm and composed. "Do you have any idea how old I am?"

Hinamori blinked and studied the boy in front of her. "Umm…twelve?"

"**I am more than 2000 years old**." His voice was as cold as ice.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!" Hinamori's mouth dropped open. "You're kidding!"

But the boy just glared at her unsmilingly.

"You're…actually serious." She remarked as she met Hitsugaya's death gaze. "But…but…" She crawled on all fours until she reached the boy and started pinching his face. "…this can't be a mask, can it?" She kept on stretching his cheeks.

"Oi! What do you think you are doing!" Hitsugaya was taken by surprised. His composed demeanor completely evaporated. "Don't touch me!" He ducked away from the crazy girl's hands.

"But…but…"

"NO…stay away!" He stumbled back and rubbed his red cheeks where Hinamori had pinched him. "I am not wearing a mask! You're lucky the contract forbids me to kill you or even harm you in any manner…coz if not…" His spiritual force started rising. "…you won't last a second longer in my company! I would slice your body into many pieces and throw it at the bottom of Tenkou!"

Hinamori was silent for a moment as she looked at the boy who was full of distraught. Daylight had given her the advantage of observing his features in detail compared to the night before. He seemed greatly alarmed and the rise and fall of his mood was noticeable. It only took her a few seconds before she arrived with a conclusion.

"You're just like that, aren't you?" She bent her head with a smile.

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry…the truth is…I was really expecting a huge monster with horns and pointed tail."

"?"

"But you turned out to be a cute boy." Hinamori giggled. "You seem to have a little temper hidden underneath your serious composure."

"Enough already with the _'cute boy' _thing!" Hitsugaya roared.

But the girl continued with her laughter whelming inside her. "I'll be honest. I was surprised and I even got scared whenever you emit that powerful force. I'm not exactly aware what that force is, but you get the idea." Her smile grew wider. "I was worried. After all, I was the one who had bothered you, but..." She looked fondly at Hitsugaya. "…no matter how many times you say that you are a devil…I find you really nice."

"Nice?"

"Hai! I think Shiro-chan is nice! You are a nice devil who had patiently put up with someone like me." Hinamori cheerfully concluded.

This seemed to have ticked the white-haired boy even more. "I wouldn't have put up with you if I you didn't summon me with that blasted pentagram! I would have gotten rid of you already if not for your troublesome wish!" He exclaimed.

But the girl just chuckled as she stood up. She placed her hand on top of his head and ruffled his white hair. "Hai…Hai." She nodded with a smile. "Anything Shiro-chan says."

One could almost hear Hitsugaya's temper _'kettle' _dangerously whistling with all its might. "**Stop**…" The smoke squirting out of his body was almost visible. "…**calling me**…" His body shook. "…**Shiro-chan**!" He exploded. "You're insulting me!" He remarked as he aggressively pushed Hinamori's hand away from his head.

"But 'Hitsugaya Toushirou' is a handful to say all the time." The girl said thoughtfully. "If I am going to spend a lifetime with you, I should at least call you with something short."

"You are probably going to spend an eternity with me." Hitsugaya mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing." He said snobbishly. "I'm tired of explaining things to you. I don't want to be branded as _'nice'_ again."

Hinamori smiled.

Hitsugaya continued. "You don't want to say a handful all the time? Fine, then don't call me at all."

"Eh?" The girl blinked.

"Don't mention my name ever. In fact, it would be better for you don't talk to me unless it is absolutely necessary." The white-haired boy crossed his arms on his chest. "Got that?"

"Eh? Eh? Not to talk to you at all? But..but…" Hinamori protested but stopped when she saw Hitsugaya's **very **serious expression. "O-kay." She gave in.

"Good." The white-haired boy started pacing towards the stairs. "Let's go."

"To hell?" Hinamori scampered behind him.

"Ah." He scoffed. "No place like home."

* * *

Outside, Hinamori inhaled deeply. It was early morning and the garden around the traditional house was beautiful as usual. The forest surrounding it was peaceful and a gentle breeze blew around them. 

"I can't believe I actually wished for something like that." She said to herself as she gazed at the radiant sun above. In truth, she should have contested the deal since she doesn't really remember what happened. The black cat did tell her thathumans often got swindled by devils. But still, the white-haired boy doesn't seem to be the type to do that.

_What do you think you are doing? _She asked herself. _He is a devil. You should know better that they can appear in any kind of form they want in order to lure humans. Why are you still going for this? _

She knew that it was unwise for her to trust, but she doesn't know why she felt being pulled towards the white-haired boy. Maybe again, it was her curiosity that was eating her all this time. Was it worth it to leave her current livelihood? No more school? No more solitary days?

_No more wondering gaze at this mysterious mountain._

She sighed. "Oh well. I will take neko-chan's advice, stop thinking and just go where my heart leads me." She said, even though all of this was one way or another…the cat's fault.

Behind her, Hitsugaya was looking at something etched on one of the house's pillars outside. He seemed to be lost in his own world when Hinamori tiptoed and peered on his shoulder. "What are you looking at?" She suddenly asked which made the white-haired boy jump.

"What did I just tell you about talking to me?" Irritation was carved on every corner of his face. "About **not **talking to me."

"Ummm…it was just a simple question." Then, she looked at the symbol which had caught the boy's attention. "Oh…another pentagram? But this one is sort of…" She squinted. "…too complicated. I didn't see this before…maybe because another pillar dropped a shadow against it. " Indeed, even though the circle was small, two stars were drawn on top of each other in addition to the elaborate signs and words written in a language Hinamori didn't understand. She was about to touch it when Hitsugaya's commanding tone rang in the air.

"Don't touch it!" He snapped which made Hinamori pull her hand back.

"Eh? What's wrong?" She asked.

"Just…" Hitsugaya clenched his fist and looked away. "…don't touch it." He said in a much reserved voice.

Hinamori blinked. Whatever it was, it seemed to be causing the devil much uneasiness. "Are you alright?" She asked with sincerity.

But the white-haired boy just turned on his heels and started to pace towards the path which lead to the forest. "Let's go." He mumbled.

"E-to…" The girl looked from the symbol to the small devil walking away.

"**Let's go." **Hitsugaya stressed.

Hinamori sighed. "Okay." And followed the white-haired boy.

* * *

Time passed by as Hinamori staggered behind the brisk walker in front of her. She was panting. They had been walking for hours and the terrain wasn't friendly at all. 

_I think I finally got the idea as to why Mt. Tenkou was considered to have a harsh nature even for climbing. _She thought.

She was still wearing her school uniform and normal shoes. Not exactly the best gear for a person to have while venturing inside the mountain's dense forest and rocky slopes. For some reason, the white-haired devil kept on pushing up towards the peak of the mountain. He neither said a word to her nor even looked down to see if she was still there. He just strode effortlessly from one enormous tree root to another. She tried to keep her word about not talking to the boy but somehow she wason her limit. She couldn't remain silent anymore.

"Wait up!" Hinamori called out as she grabbed the trunk of a tree for support.

Unfortunately, she didn't get any reply.

"Hey." She said.

Still, she didn't get an answer. He stopped when she stopped, but never turned to look at her nor bothered talk to her.

_What a stubborn guy. _Hinamori pouted. "Fine." She remarked as she sat down on a rock. "If you keep ignoring me, then I'm not going to bulge from this position." She threatened. "May I remind you that you have to keep your end of the bargain and do anything in your power to keep my wish." She crossed her arms. "I don't think you can fulfill that if I refuse to move from where I am."

A nerve popped out of Hitsugaya's head. "So now you con me about a wish you don't even remember making." He grunted.

"You checked it yourself, right? If I only know why it happened that way then I should have done something to prevent it." She defended herself. "I can't believe we are back with this topic."

The white-haired boy looked away. "I don't think you would have prevented it." He mumbled.

"What? Why not?" She asked.

"Nothing." He was standing a few feet away. She couldn't see his face. In truth, there was something more to that pentagram than what he had told her. But up to this moment, he couldn't understand how she was able to pull it off. He was certain that he never saw her before. _Still… _He thought.

An image of another diagram flashed in his mind. It was the one etched in one of the pillars of the house where he had taken her when she lost consciousness the night before. He narrowed his eyes. _It has been years since that seal was made. Was it possible that it may have some connections with that? _

Again, the two-starred diagram swam before him.

Hitsugaya shook his head. _No…something like that should be left in the past. _The double pentagram wasn't made to be disturbed. He should just let it rest in peace. _But…_ He scratched his head. _…it has been a while since I saw something like that. And it's all this girl's fault. _He shot Hinamori a quick glance.

The girl looked at him with huge innocent eyes. He cursed under his breath once more.

"Well?" Hinamori persisted.

"Fine." He mumbled.

This made the girl's face lit up and hopped towards the white-haired boy. "So…" She placed her hands behinds her back and swayed a little. "…why are we going in this path?" She asked.

"There's an entrance inside a cave at the peak of this mountain." He replied.

"An entrance?"

"Ah." Hitsugaya continued to pace; this time in much slower strides. "Do you know what Tenkou really is?"

"Hmmm…no. I've always wondered, though." She said as she fell a step behind the white-haired boy.

"For my kind, Tenkou is an interval…a gap…between heaven and hell." He started to explain.

"Eh? Eh?" Hinamori eyes were wide.

"Ah." The white-haired devil continued with his usual frown on his face. "For humans, it is an entrance to the spirit world."

"An entrance?" Her voice was almost a whisper.

"In a nutshell, it is a point in this universe wherein heaven, hell and the mortal world collides." He raised a hand to push a vine off his way. "Due to this, the mountain itself has a mixture of power within it—power coming from good, power coming from evil and power coming from the naïve soul of a human." He briskly turned to his right which caused Hinamori to scamper after him.

"Is this why I see devils and angels in this place?" She asked.

"There is such thing as a boundary between heaven and hell." Hitsugaya's pace became more brisk as he heard a small river nearby. "It is in this boundary wherein the war between good and evil was literally being held every now and then."

"War between good and evil?" Hinamori blinked as both of them emerged from the dense forest unto the much anticipated river.

"It is not entirely new, you know. I'm sure you are quite aware of this endless battle." Hitsugaya snorted. "If you see shadows and wings…and to be more specific…thunder and lightning inside Tenkou, it is because representatives of heaven and hell are fighting against each other. It is something we do in order to keep the balance for all worlds."

"Balance?" She looked at the white-haired boy in awe. She couldn't believe that she was actually hearing something like this.

"I wonder what your religion is." Hitsugaya snorted. "But it doesn't matter. It shall all come down to the same thing. Humans are fond of always saying that good always wins. That is was supposed to be that way. But in reality…there is no such thing." He strode across the river without care of his hakama getting soaked.

"What…what do you mean!" Hinamori was slightly mortified. "Don't tell me that evil is the one which always wins."

"Stupid. It's not like that." The white-haired devil sighed. "In reality…it doesn't matter who wins. What's important is that balance was kept. It's like yin and yang. An enough dose of good plus a dose of evil are both needed in order to keep a harmonious equilibrium."

"Eh? Eh?" Hinamori blinked in confusion. "I don't understand. If no one actually wins then why bother fighting?"

Hitsugaya sighed again. "We fight to place a limit on both sides. If we just sit around and do nothing, reiatsu from both sides will overflow and it will tip the scale of both worlds."

"Reiatsu?"

"It is what we call the spiritual pressure each resident of heaven and hell has. Spiritual power, others may call it but reiatsu is much more powerful. You've been pushed down by an unknown force when I get angry, don't you?"

"Yes." Hinamori nodded.

"It's reiatsu." By this time, the white-haired boy had reached the other side. A steep cliff met him. He narrowed his eyes and surveyed the area. "Reiatsu is something basic and common in hell. You should get used to it. Mind you that a reiatsu can tear you apart."

"Tear me apart?" Hinamori stumbled behind him as she stepped out of the water.

"Ah." He scratched his chin as he observed the difficult nature before him. "My reiatsu won't do you harm because I will do anything in my power to lower my spiritual pressure since you are under contract with me, but…" He faced the hazel-eyed girl with much outward seriousness. "…I can't say the same for the other '_beings' _in hell. Though, it is unwise to let your reiatsu ooze all the time, there are very powerful devils and demons down there. A powerful reiatsu emanating from those _'beings' _can be considered as normal to us but can be very harmful to mortals. You…" Hitsugaya pointed towards Hinamori. "…won't die because your lifespan is now connected with mine, but you can still feel the pain. If another devil/demon's reiatsu starts harming you, you will suffer from your injuries. Mind you that in some cases **death is much more inviting than endless pain**."

"So that means…" She said in a small voice.

Hitsugaya looked at her darkly. "...I won't do anything to you nor would I start something that may harm you…but…I don't care whatever happens to you if you bumped into someone with a powerful reiatsu. I wouldn't care any less if you crumble down in pain. **Got it?"**

"Oh." Hinamori shivered at the cold glare she just received, but nevertheless she naively clutched Hitsugaya's arm.

"Oi!" The white-haired devil was again, taken by surprised at the girl's brisk action.

Hinamori placed her head on his shoulder. "Then, I must do my best to be always with you. So I can always be protected by your reiatsu." She nodded with a determined face.

Hitsugaya sweat-dropped. "What makes you think that my reiatsu will protect you?" He exclaimed as he tried to wriggle free from her grasp. "I am an Andras devil. My reiatsu is something considered to be of an elitist level. That means something beyond _'safe'. _Don't you understand anything? Do you still continue to underestimate me!"

But Hinamori only shook her head cutely. "No. In contrary, I've taken account of your rank as a devil."

"Huh?" He arched a brow.

"Since you are someone powerful, I doubt if any of those other devils and demons would want to cross your path. And if they do so, they would consider minding their attitude towards you. I don't think they would have the guts to counter your reiatsu directly in a face off." She said matter-of-factly. "So as long as I'm with you…I won't receive such threatening spiritual force."

"Great. I feel so used." Hitsugaya mumbled. Dismay was written all over his face as he failed to take her hands off him which only made Hinamori laugh.

"Aw…don't be like that. My wish is to be with you, after all. There is no sense in leaving your side." She snuggled her face against his haori.

More nerves popped out of Hitsugaya's forehead. "I am not some kind of teddy bear, you know. **Quit touching me**." He shot her a threatening glare.

"Okay…okay…" She said with a cheerful smile and let him go.

But then, a smirk crept on Hitsugaya's lips. "On second thought…" He said mysteriously to her.

"Hmmmm?" Hinamori blinked.

The white-haired boy suddenly reached out and grabbed her waist.

"Eh? Eh?" The girl felt herself being crushed against the boy's body.

"Traveling like this will be much faster." Hitsugaya was happy to see a sudden panic rising inside the girl's eyes. "Shall we?"

And with that, Hinamori felt herself being pulled upwards. Actually, it was an understatement. Both she and the white-haired boy bolted straight up. Everything around her became hazy as Hitsugaya maneuvered them expertly on the steep cliff. The wind fluttered sharply against her. The piece of cloth which held her hair in a bun got blown away.

"Waai! My…!" She exclaimed.

"Leave it." Hitsugaya's commanding tone rang in the air.

She was about to complain but her words were halted the moment they emerged the rocky slope. Hinamori's eyes widened as she saw the view which met them. She didn't realize how far up they were in the mountain as she stared down at the vast rocky and woody terrain below.

"Su-sugoi!" She said breathlessly. The view was magnificent and the sky seemed to be something within her grasp. "Are we flying?"

"No…" The white-haired boy answered. "…we are preparing to do shunpo."

"Shun-…?" But she wasn't able to finish her question. In an instant, Hinamori felt herself getting hastily dragged forward as Hitsugaya started jumping from one tree top to another in a lightning speed fashion. "I------------yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" She squeezed her eyes shut and clung to the white-haired boy like there was no tomorrow.

Everything happened so fast. Her surroundings disappeared into strands of distorted images.

"Just breathe." She heard Hitsugaya say. Indeed, she did notice that she was holding her breath like how one does when plunged into water. She slowly inhaled then exhaled as the world around her began to turn. By this time, her face was buried against something soft. She dared to take a peak and realized that it was the boy's white silvery hair. She closed her eyes once again. _He kinda…smells nice. _She thought. _And **familiar as well**… _She wrapped her arms tighter around his neck. _This scent…**where have I**…? _But her inner question dangled as she felt them stopping in a very abrupt halt.

"Oi…" She heard the white-haired devil's voice.

"Hmmm?"

"You're already suffocating me." He remarked coldly but in a somewhat muffled tone.

"Weh?" Hinamori blinked many times before realizing that she was burying the boy's face into her chest. "I'm sorry!" She immediately let him go. Her face was all red as she stepped away from the white-haired devil. But the moment she did so…

_--sfx: **thud**---_

Hinamori fell solidly on the ground. "I-tai…" She rubbed her behind. And as she turned her head around, everything went spinning. "Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaii…?" Teary-eyed Momo didn't know what just happened.

Hitsugaya snorted. He seemed unaffected at all. "The dizziness is normal." He remarked. "Your body is not used to such a thing that it made you somewhat disoriented. "

"You call this…_'somewhat'_?" The poor girl's world was in complete opposite axis.

The white-haired boy sighed. "You really are slowing me down." He looked away with an annoyed face. "Fine, then we will rest here. Anyway, the entrance is just a few paces away from here."

But Hinamori couldn't quite make out where they were due to her disorientation.

"Just concentrate and try to focus." He said. "And don't close your eyes; it will only make you feel nauseated."

"But…but I can't help it." Her eye lids were heavy that it closed on its own.

She heard Hitsugaya cursed under his breath. "The last thing I need is a human who will end up vomiting around." He paced towards her and grabbed hold of her face. "Look at me." He commanded.

Hinamori opened her eyes.

"Now, focus. Don't look any where else; just straight into my eyes." He said.

She did what she was told and met the white-haired boy's hypnotizing eyes. In an instant, she felt her cheeks grow warm. She looked dazed but her surroundings started to fall in place. "You…" She began to say in a soft voice. "…have beautiful green eyes."

"Huh?" Hitsugaya arched a brow.

She only smiled sweetly back at him.

"Oi." Hitsugaya blinked and briskly let her go. "You're making me uncomfortable."

But, the girl just gazed at him.

"That's enough!" He exclaimed. "What's wrong with you? What kind of look is that!"

"What look?" Hinamori whispered. "I am just following your instructions."

"I just told you to focus! I didn't tell you to look at me **lovingly**!" Hitsugaya felt his face going flustered. _Damn…what's wrong with me? _He started pacing away to widen the gap between them. For some reason, he suddenly **felt déjà vu** swarming inside him.

"Lovingly?" Hinamori titled her head to one side, but nevertheless shot the same _'gaze' _towards the white-haired boy.

"There! There! You're doing it again." Hitsugaya pointed accusingly.

Hinamori giggled. "Are you blushing?" She asked him directly. "Kawaii-desu."

The white-haired devil's brow twitched. "Cute? You're calling an Andras devil…cute?"

But, the girl continued to giggle. "You really are nice despite that Andras devil thing."

Hitsugaya's temper meter threatened to rise once more. "Stop it." He gritted his teeth. "I'm going to say this one more time and I won't repeat it again." He glared at Hinamori with his infamous frown. Whatever expression he had earlier was gone. "I am not a boy even though I look like one. I am someone older than you are. **Two-thousand years waaaaaay older. **_'Cute' _and _'nice' _are hardly a description you can give a devil…and I would like **to remind you that I am indeed one**." A strong spiritual force escaped him as he stressed out his point which made the girl curl down a little.

"Okay…okay…whatever you say. Just keep your reiatsu down. Remember the contract…our contract." She said as her hand tried to shield herself.

"Hmph." Hitsugaya turned his back towards her. "Just hurry up and get yourself together. I'm already late with my appointment with Enma."

"Enma?" She tried to stand up but her legs gave in beneath her that she opted to sit for a while.

"Satan…Lucifer…whatever it is you mortals call the one who is in charge of hell."

"Wwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!"

"Yeah…" He sat down in one of the huge boulders.

For the next few minutes, neither one of them spoke. The sound of birds and occasional rustle of leaves were the only ones that seemed to invade the silence.

"Neh..." Hinamori started to speak. "…that old house in the forest…"

"What about it?" The white-haired boy retorted without looking at her.

"Doesn't anyone live there?" She queried. "I've asked neko-chan about it and he said that no one does."

"And you doubt your feline friend?" Hitsugaya remarked sarcastically.

"Ah well…it is sort of…neko-chan's convincing attitude which lead me into this situation…" Hinamori replied, but once again cut off by the boy.

"**It is all the blasted cat's fault!" **He said fumingly.

"I know…but…"

"Your feline friend is right." Hitsugaya muttered.

"Eh?"

"It doesn't have an owner." He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. "Not anymore."

"Not anymore?" Curiosity ate Hinamori once again. She crawled towards where the white-haired devil sat. "Does it mean that it used to have one?"

"Of course. You don't expect a house to just grow out of the ground."

"Whose house was it?" She peered at him with huge innocent eyes.

Hitsugaya gave her a brisk side glance. Then, he snottily raised his head. "It's not your business to know. That **seal **on one of its pillars clearly suggests that **no one ought to disturb that place.**"

"Ohhhh! That double-starred pentagram you were looking at earlier." Hinamori clapped her hands in recollection. "But if no one is to disturb that place, **then why did you bring me there**?"

"Well umm…" Hitsugaya stammered. "…it's umm…the nearest…safest place I can find."

"Won't the shrine do?" She asked.

"No. That shrine wasn't made by someone from hell. The only reason I could withstand its barrier is because I am not an ordinary devil."

"Hey! Does it mean **that the old house was made by someone from hell**?" She vigilantly pointed out. "Do you know who made it?"

The white-haired boy blinked a few times as if he was getting lost with his own thoughts before he suddenly went back to his old self and stood up. "Why do you keep asking these questions? It won't matter anyway coz you will no longer be spending time in this world." He smirked. "Like what I said. The only place you'll ever be from now on is hell." He reached out for her wrist and pulled her up with him. "Looks like you're fine now. We'd better get going."

Hinamori wasn't satisfied with the information she got, but nevertheless let the white-haired boy lead her towards the small cave resting a few feet away.

"Are we going inside the cave?" She asked.

"Nope."

"Eh?"

"That's just a façade." Hitsugaya said darkly.

And a façade it really was. The moment the white-haired devil's foot touched the entrance of the cave…the forest, the mountain, and the sky disappeared. Hinamori found themselves standing on nothing but pitch blackness.

"What's going on?" She gasped and grabbed the boy's arm.

"Sssssssh. Just wait." Hitsugaya replied.

Without a second sooner, red markings started appearing in front of them. It glowed a bloody red light. It seemed to be the only visible thing in the nothingness aside from the white-haired boy and her. She felt a creepy wave of reiatsu enveloping them as something large emerged from the light.

A double door, as huge as a three-story building became evident before them. Its frame was adorned with skulls and grotesque etchings. The two handles of the door consists of knobs with some kind of a beast's face with horns and long fangs. Its eyes glowed in the same shade of menacing red.

"Wha…what is that?" Hinamori squirmed behind the boy.

Hitsugaya huffed. "**The entrance to that place called hell."** _No place like home. _He reminded himself.

* * *

(UP Next: Chapter Four: "Rukongai")

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**

Talk about inspirations. I was still in the mood to write this even though I know that I should be writing updates for my CCS fics. I couldn't resist! I'm so weak!

Thank you very much for the reviews. I am happy to finally see them. And please don't hesitate to correct me if something is not right. I do take note of this and change it if necessary. (Like that description of the captain's jacket)

I am more of a story flow and plot concept writer than a grammar person, so yeah…it is more likely that I get things overlooked. My apologies.


	4. Rukongai

"**_Sealed in Mt. Tenkou"_**

By Majah

**Disclaimer:**

I don't own Bleach but I do own the story in this fic and things that are non-Bleach. All the name of places, historical events and other things mentioned which you don't seem to know IRL, are products of my imagination. Any similarities with the actual thing are purely coincidental.

* * *

**From Previous Chapter:**

"Are we going inside the cave?" She asked.

"Nope."

"Eh?"

"That's just a façade." Hitsugaya said darkly.

And a façade it really was. The moment the white-haired devil's foot touched the entrance of the cave…the forest, the mountain, and the sky disappeared. Hinamori found themselves standing on nothing but pitch blackness.

"What's going on?" She gasped and grabbed the boy's arm.

"Sssssssh. Just wait." Hitsugaya replied.

Without a second sooner, red markings started appearing in front of them. It glowed a bloody red light. It seemed to be the only visible thing in the nothingness aside from the white-haired boy and her. She felt a creepy wave of reiatsu enveloping them as something large emerged from the light.

A double door, as huge as a three-story building became evident before them. Its frame was adorned with skulls and grotesque etchings. The two handles of the door consists of knobs with some kind of a beast's face with horns and long fangs. Its eyes glowed in the same shade of menacing red.

"Wha…what is that?" Hinamori squirmed behind the boy.

Hitsugaya huffed. "**The entrance to that place called hell."** _No place like home. _He thought.

* * *

**Chapter Four: "Rukongai"**

Hinamori tried to move her body and groaned as pain jabbed somewhere on her ribs area. _What just happened? _She thought as she eased herself up, only to find that she somehow fell on top of a wooden seat which probably left a bruise on the right side of her body. She reached for the nearest thing she can lean on and was surprised when her hand touched water. She jerked up despite the throbbing pain and realized that she was riding a boat.

"W—where?" She blinked.

"That was quite a fall." A familiar voice said with a taunting snicker. "But like what I said…I wouldn't care any less whatever happens to you as long as you are alive and with me."

Hinamori set her mouth in a grim line. "You could have at least warned me!"

"Now why would I bother?" Hitsugaya scoffed. "You wished for this, you deal with it."

"I didn't wish to be suddenly pushed into an unknown vortex of blood!" She pouted.

Indeed, the moment the huge doors opened before them back in the cave, the white-haired boy suddenly pushed her inside which caused her to tumble into a swirling vortex of what looked like a pool of blood. She felt herself being pulled down and even thought she might have swallowed some of the horrifying liquid, but strangely enough after all the havoc, she found herself falling on something and hitting its hard frame. She was not even wet. Her clothes were dry and weren't even tainted with a single stain of blood.

"Well…what do you want me to say? Hold your breath and plunge in?" The white-haired boy smirked. "Like any human will just do that."

"What is that thing anyway!" She asked exasperatingly.

Hitsugaya smiled darkly. "The welcome committee."

"What!"

He lightly chuckled. If this girl was going to react like this every time she encountered something out of the ordinary, then it might not be that bad having her around. She could entertain him this way. "It is something that invigorates our kind. Blood excites our well-being. That swirling vortex reminds us that we are nearly home. Mind you that this is not the human world any longer." He shot her a dark shuddering glance. "**This is hell**."

"Hell?" She blinked up to him, and then glanced around her. "This is hell? We're already here?"

"In the outermost region…yes." He replied.

"Eh?" Big-eyed Momo sat straight and grasped the side of the small rickety boat. They were currently in a very dark place, but she could make out the things around her since there were candles floating around; black and red candles. And as she stared at the water beneath them, no reflection met her eyes. She dipped her finger and found the water to be very cold but smooth. It wasn't murky yet it was all black. They appeared to be traveling in a straight river but there was no wave nor current. The water was still. The only thing that could be heard was the slow gush that the long wooden oar seemed to make at the back of the boat. Hinamori stared in wonder as the old-looking oar moved by itself and made their boat advance in what seemed like an endless streak of black water.

"Normally…there is no need for me to go through this river." Hitsugaya started to say. "My rank gives me the privilege to just use the warp zone which will directly take me to Rukongai. But since I am with you, your existence must first be officially logged in the book of the netherworld. If heaven has that tunnel of light when a person dies, hell has this black river."

"Rukongai?"

"Ah." Hitsugaya was standing at the front of the both with his back at her. "That's where all devils and demons reside."

"Really?" Fascination became evident inside Hinamori's eyes. "So, that's were you live too?"

"Yeah. But I don't currently stay there." Hitsugaya closed his eyes. "I was assigned to the front."

"To the front? Meaning the battle between good and evil?" She asked; full of curiosity.

"Actually, we prefer to call it, the war between heaven and hell. May I remind you that down here…there is no such thing as good or evil." He sighed. "It was my turn to serve in the battle at the boundary of heaven and hell. That's probably why you always see...awhitedragonintenkou." He mumbled.

"What?" She didn't quite understand his last words.

He cleared his throat. "Nothing." But the girl didn't look convinced. "Well, anyway…" He opted to change the subject. "…that ability of yours…do you have that since birth?"

"What ability?" Then, it hit her. "Oh…I don't think so. It is something I seemed to have gained while I was growing up. But it is really strange. Though, I always play at the shrine as a child, I don't normally _'see' _things in Mt. Tenkou."

"Then, how were you able to open your reiatsu psyche?" Hitsugaya asked.

"Reiatsu psyche?" The girl blinked.

"Ah." The white-haired boy squinted to see if the end of the river was getting close. "That thing that enables you to see beyond the misty barrier set around Tenkou is not your third eye or even your sixth sense." He said in a matter-of-factly tone.

"Weh? What do you mean? I've always thought it was my third eye or something like that."

"No. A third eye will enable you to see spirits. A sixth sense will make you communicate with the dead. But both won't give you the ability to see us." _Especially my astral dragon form. _He added to himself. "What you currently have is an opened psyche which sees different forms of reiatsu."

"Different forms of reiatsu?"

"It was rare of a human to actually have an opened psyche of this type. It is difficult to open it. You normally feel reiatsu, you don't see it. Though, it is not impossible. Dedicated martial artists can train to open their psyche to see reiatsu. So for an ordinary girl like yourself to have her reiatsu psyche open…it is really strange." Hitsugaya frowned. "And now you tell me that it is not something you've gotten from birth. Hmmmm…"

"So, it is reiatsu I see in Mt. Tenkou?"

"We are not physically inside Tenkou. Even though, you see shadows and wings, am I right when I say that you can't really make out our faces."

Hinamori nodded.

"Whenever we battle in the spirit world, we release our reiatsu in its most powerful form. Since Tenkou is the gap…a dimensional anomaly…our reiatsu gets reflected back to the human world and you see our forms inside the mountain. This only happens when there is an intense battle going on and our reiatsu grows in an abnormal manner." Hitsugaya explained. "Ah. We are here."

Their small boat touched land and the white-haired boy hopped out.

Hinamori cringed for a moment before standing up. She rubbed her sides and then finally followed the small devil. "I'm not sure how I was able to see." She said as she scampered behind him. "There was this incident when I was still a kid when my grandmother suddenly fell on the dirt path at the foot of Mt. Tenkou. I'm not sure what happened back then but I don't seem to have any memory after that incident. It is one of those memory gaps I've mentioned to you before. But one thing I'm sure of, I was able to _see_ since then."

Hitsugaya suddenly stopped walking. "Memory gaps?"

The girl nodded once she caught up with him. "Like that time when I made my wish."

The white-haired boy's face could not be seen. Internally, the image of the double pentagram in the traditional house was flashing inside his mind. He shook his head to drive the image out. "I see." Was the only word he said.

"Aren't you going to say anything else?" Hinamori asked.

"It's enough that I know about that detail. I will discuss it in front of other devils and get their opinion. But for now…" He glanced at the mossy steps before them. "…we need to get you in there."

Hinamori followed his gaze and saw a huge steel gate, twice the size of the door they entered, sitting menacingly at the end of the zigzagged mossy path. Around them, flames adorned the bush area. For a moment, she thought it would probably be really hot to step into the path, but the moment she did, she was surprised when the temperature felt exactly the same. In fact, it was somewhat cold. This must have reflected on her face that the white-haired devil spoke once more.

"It only gets hot if the flames rise up for more than ten feet." He said.

"Eh?"

"They react to the soul that is about to enter the gates of hell. The more intense the flames are, the more it meant that the soul that was about to enter has grave sins. The heat that the flames will generate during that time will be an initial punishment to the soul." Hitsugaya explained. "And since, you are not exactly a soul and nor are you dead…the flames are just as it is—mellowed down."

"Oooooh…"

"**Charon**…you may go now." The white-haired devil gestured towards the rickety boat they rode earlier.

"Charon?" Hinamori blinked and wondered who the boy was talking to, and then she saw. At the back of the boat, the oar slowly moved to one side and a haze-like figure caught her eye. She squinted and finally made out a torn grey caped figure as it stood up and bowed at Hitsugaya. She gasped when she realized that it was probably the one who had made it possible for the boat to advance. "But…but…" Poor Momo was once again confused. "…I didn't see it…err…him…I mean…" She stammered as she doesn't exactly know how to refer to the figure. Half of its cape was somewhat like a dark mist, but its hands were solid enough for her to see. They were like hands of a very old person; bony, thin and with crooked nails. She could not make out a face since the old-looking cape overshadowed its head.

"It is rare for their kind to show themselves. They are hardly sociable." The white-haired boy gave a final nod towards the haze-life figure and started towards the mossy steps. "Charons are boatmen of hell whose only job is to ferry souls across the black river. To the human world, they are often depicted as the "ferryman of Styx". Surely, you have heard of it."

"Oh…I see." Hinamori blinked once more and followed the boy. "I've always thought the ferryman was only one person…one old person."

"Person?" Hitsugaya smirked. "He is not one. He is another type of demon. Charon is not his name. Actually, they don't have names, or possibly, if they do have one, they only kept it to themselves. That's why we all referred to them as 'Charon'." He shot a brief glance at the girl. "He seems to like you, though."

"Eeeeeeeeh?"

"He is awfully taking a lot of time staying visible like that." He was referring to the fact that the rickety boat was still there and the Charon was looking at them with its haze-life figure; misty but very much evident to the naked eye. "Normally, they would just bow, disappear and leave."

"Re—really?" Hinamori observed the Charon with cautious eyes. It seemed to be looking straight back at her unblinkingly although she couldn't make out anything underneath its cape's hood. She was about to reach out for the white-haired boy when she realized that Hitsugaya already proceeded to the huge gate without her. "Weh!" She exclaimed and hurriedly went after the devil, but not before she bowed at the eerie-looking Charon as a gesture of goodbye, and then scurried off after the white-haired boy.

As the girl ran the mossy steps, the Charon watched from his small rickety boat. It wasn't true that he was only looking at the human. In fact, his cloaked gaze darted from the white-haired devil to the girl. He was observing both of them with great interest and was wondering how things will turn up. He had been a Charon ever since the beginning of time. He has knowledge on things that sometimes, Abigor devils members of the High Council had sought him for information that weren't recorded in the archives. He was probably the oldest Charon in the great black river and it had been a while since he saw this kind of arrangement between a human and a devil. And what made things more captivating, was the involvement of a high-ranked devil like Hitsugaya Toushirou.

The Charon bowed his head and stirred the oar of his boat. It must be fate, but then again, it could also be a curse. That human girl was cursed the moment she encountered one of their kind and it will thrive within her for as long as she lives. But, the devil she was with was someone who has noble blood. Maybe it could change her cursed life.

Well…maybe.

Beneath his shadowed face, the Charon smiled as a certain piece of information swam back into his mind. Something that he would probably be the only one left with; a very important memory.

As so with this, the Charon disappeared and the old wooden boat started moving away from the shore.

* * *

"Jidanbou." Hitsugaya greeted the demon with a smile. 

"Oh! Hitsugaya-Taichou!" The gatekeeper replied with much welcome. "Congratulations on your victory in the battle field yesterday. I heard your legion had driven those blasted angels in a corner."

"Ah." The white-haired devil reservedly said.

He had arrived in Hell's main gate and as usual, the Andras devil was greeted by the guard and keeper of the gate, the giant and feared demon, Jidanbou. Normally, the demon would have one of his enormous axes unsheathed and hanging carelessly at one side, but that morning, both of his weapons laid quietly behind him.

"Quite silent over here. No tortured souls in sight. Are you on your break this early?" Hitsugaya asked.

Jidanbou chuckled heartily. "No…not really. I'm not sure if this counts as a break. For some reason, the house of internal affairs suddenly ordered a halt in taking in souls to the land of the dead. They said to stop the operation for a few minutes which means no human can die within this time period. That's why the normally long line in this gate was temporarily dispersed. Lucky souls." He scratched his head. "It's quite puzzling, really…normally upper management will give a few days notice before doing something like this. But it seems there was some kind of emergency."

"An emergency?" Hitsugaya's brow twitched. _Could it be? _He thought.

"Um," The giant nodded. "Apparently, a human…not a soul…but human in flesh and blood who had not yet died, had entered Hell's premises."

The white-haired devil's shoulders dropped down. _Yup, it is exactly what I thought. _

"They feared it may disrupt the system so a temporary halt was issued." The demon continued. "But what makes it confusing for me is as to why I am not ordered to go on alert and watch for this human. I was even told to lay low from my usual greetings with my beloved axes." He patted his two huge weapons.

"They would not be talking about this particular human now, would they?" Hitsugaya regretfully remarked as Hinamori emerged from the steep mossy step below; panting.

"Wha-!" The demon jumped in surprised and immediately grabbed his axes. Hitsugaya immediately restrained him.

"It's alright, Jidanbou. She's with me." The white-haired boy quickly said.

"With you?" A shocked expression crept on the giant's face. "But…Hitsugaya-Taichou…how?...why?" He was also partly wondering as to why he didn't feel the girl's presence beforehand.

Hitsugaya sighed. "It's a long story."

Behind him, Hinamori looked awed at how large the demon's axes were. Her eyes were huge and round as she quickly scampered behind the white-haired boy's back and even clutched his haori.

Jidanbou's jaw dropped open at the simple yet forthcoming gesture of the girl towards the Andras devil. He was expecting for Hitsugaya to tear the girl apart using his reiatsu as punishment for she dared to touch him but no violent reaction came from the white-haired devil. "A—no…Hitsugaya-Taichou…?" Questioning eyes beckoned the Andras devil.

But the white-haired boy just closed his eyes and crossed his arms. "I see. Internal Affairs had been alerted by the contract. As expected of Ise-sama. That's good. It would mean that they are already waiting for us in the concession room." He nodded approvingly. This saved him time in sending a mass message to everyone regarding his current situation.

"Contract?" The giant inquired. The puzzled expression was still on his face.

"Ah." Hitsugaya opened his eyes and shot Hinamori a cold look which made the girl bite her lip. "This human is under contract with me."

"What kind of contract?" Jidanbou asked with great curiosity.

"The '_one wish for your soul'_ kind of deal." Hitsugaya grouchily replied.

"What!" The giant exclaimed in disbelief. "But…but that's impossible! Hitsugaya-Taichou is an Andras devil! Since when does Andras devil grant this kind of task!" His voice boomed which made the flames around them shake.

"Like I said…it's a long story."

All this time, Hinamori was silent and only watched the conversation. Although, the giant was friendly towards the white-haired boy, she wouldn't push her luck and opted to stand behind Hitsugaya as if to protect herself if the demon suddenly decided to use his huge axes.

"But if that's the contract then why is she here?" Jidanbou continued to ask.

"Because she wished to be with me for as long as I live." He answered the giant.

The moment he said this, no word came out from either of them. The only thing evidentwas the sound of the burning flames around them. The gatekeeper's face was indescribable.

_--silence--_

_--silence--_

_--silence--_

_--silence--_

"A human actually wished to be with a devil?" The giant finally said.

"Ah." Hitsugaya scratched his head.

Jidanbou looked at the girl with mystified eyes. Hinamori cringed under his gaze and clutched the white-haired boy harder. How she wished that the devil was taller so she could totally hide behind him.

"Anyway…we should be going now. I need to discuss this to the council." Hitsugaya said with his frown never leaving his face.

The demon nodded and started opening the huge gates. He didn't speak a word and only threw unbelieving glances towards Hinamori. The steel structure rebelled with loud screeches as the giant pushed it for the two to pass through.

"It was nice seeing you again, Jidanbou. I hope I can go visit Junrinan one of these days." And then to Hinamori, he nodded reservedly. "Let's go."

"Ha—hai." The girl obediently followed as the white-haired boy stepped inside the gate. The giant demon still looked at her with same _'are u insane' _look, but eventually bowed as acknowledgement to her white-haired companion.

"Please do come and visit, Hitsugaya-Taichou." He remarked in farewell. "And, uh…I will be logging the girl's entry by the way….what's her name again?"

This time, Hinamori opted to answer. "Hinamori Momo." She bowed. "My name is Hinamori Momo. Dozo Yorishiku."

The demon roughly nodded at the late introduction. Hitsugaya, on the other hand, just briefly raised one hand and continued with his fast strides; leaving Hinamori once more, in trying her best to follow his pace.

* * *

As Hinamori followed the white-haired boy, she couldn't help but to feel uncomfortable with her surroundings. First off, everything was dark and their path illuminated the color of crimson, may it be from the bloody walls or the flames from an occasional tree or bush. The ground looked like red dirt and the air was humid and dry. Above, the sky also had the same shade of crimson and not a cloud in sight. 

_So this is what hell looks like. _She thought. _I'm not surprised at all. It really is what they say in the books. _

Every now and then, the girl will feel a chill creeping down her spine as groans became evident in her ears. Sometimes she would hear someone crying. But whatever it was, she was sure that it was due to intensive pain and suffering. She couldn't see the origin of these voices. So far, around her, shadows swam about. She squinted and realized that they were elongated shapes of a person's body. Most of the time, they were shadows of hands which seemed to be reaching out. Their path was full of these, but as the boy in front of her walked through, the shadows would clear out in an instant to give way.

Hinamori paused for a while and stared at a wall. It was high and she couldn't see what was behind it, but nevertheless she observed as shadowy forms started getting etched on the wall. She titled her head to make out what it was. Suddenly, a black hand started emerging from the wall. It doesn't have flesh and it seemed to be in a spirit form. It continued towards Hinamori slowly, as if pleading to her and before she realized it, she lifted her own hand and was about to touch it when Hitsugaya suddenly appeared between them and clutched her hand before it could touch the oneon the wall. Apparently, the white-haired devil had stopped walking when he realized that the girl was getting left behind.

"Don't stare at the shadows and don't you even dare touching them." Hitsugaya's commanding voice rang in the air.

Hinamori snapped back to her consciousness. "Eh?"

"This is my last warning and reminder to you." A more serious expression took over the boy's face. "This is hell. Nothing is safe. The _'beings' _here cannot be compared in any manner to those that existed in the human world. Most of the time, they are not what they seemed. If you get left behind or had thrown yourself into trouble, I am not going to rescue you. I am not your babysitter, you know. If not for that loop contract, your soul might have been thrown with the ones behind these walls."

"There are souls behind the walls?"

"Ah." Hitsugaya let go of her hand. "The seven chambers of punishment existed behind these walls."

Recollection dawned on Hinamori's face. "Oh…the place where tormented souls go to in accordance to their sins?"

"Yes. That very place." The white-haired devil replied.

"I see."

Hitsugaya arched a brow. "What? What's with that expression?"

"Well…this place seems deserted, though." She answered truthfully. "I was kind of expecting hell to be crowded, but so far…aside from you, the Charon and the giant demon at the gate, I haven't seen any other devil, demon or soul for that matter."

"We are walking in the back entrance." The white-haired boy said.

"Back entrance?" The girl blinked in confusion.

"You can also refer to it as the backstage or a hidden tunnel." Hitsugaya explained. He was starting to get tired telling all this to the human, but his calculations told him that it was better thanto haveher running off with a blindfold. She would cause more trouble that way. "We are not exactly in a path which was used by the devils/demons on duty in the chambers. Believe me. It is waaaaay too crowded in those areas. You have no idea how many evil person existed in your world." He scoffed and snobbishly turned on his heels. "If you want to see the horrible things that is happening behind these walls, then be my guest….but do it without me since it is such a low place for an Andras devil to be. And I hate the crowd. There is no way I will squeeze myself with them. I would probably end up disintegrating them with my reiatsu before having one of those filthy souls near me."

"Wow, you really looked annoyed." She observed as she fell a step behind him.

"Hmph….and you are annoying me as well. Stop lagging behind and hurry up. We don't have all day." The white-haired devil remarked.

Hinamori pouted. "Well, if you don't keep going so fast then maybe I won't get left behind." She pointed out.

Hitsugaya rolled his eyes. "Whatever." _I knew it. This girl is really going to slow me down. _"Then again…" A smile suddenly replaced the frown on his face.

Hinamori's eyes narrowed. She didn't like the way the boy was looking at her. That expression was slightly familiar. "Oh no…" She stepped away. "…not that. Anything but that!" _What did he call that technique again? _

But it was too late. Hitsugaya's arm was quick and winded around her waist once more.

"Wah! Not shunpo!" Hinamori remembered how it was the last time.

"You want to be with me then live with it." The white-haired devil said harshly. "'Cause I do shunpo all the time. It is practically how I walk."

"How you walk...?" But she wasn't able to finish her reply as she felt herself being pulled forward in an enormous speed. "Iiiiiiiiiii--------------yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" She screamed as things around her became nothing but a blur.

* * *

Everyone in the room was silent. Men in black shihakushou and white haori just stood there as they contemplated the situation. There were six of them aside from the white-haired boy; four men and two female. And from the looks on how they carried their swords and how their reiatsu illuminated yet distinctly contained, it was evident that these people were no ordinary beings. 

One female adjusted her glasses with a deep frown on her forehead.

The other just crossed her arms across her huge chests with her eyes closed thoughtfully.

Two of the men were elderly. One had a very long beard in contrast to the other at his side.

The remaining occupants looked younger than the two. The bigger one has a fox head with a very serious expression.

While the last one had glasses adorning his eyes which complemented his mellow expression. He was probably the only one smiling kindly amongst everyone else. "Are you sure that you don't know her?" He asked Hitsugaya.

The white-haired devil nodded his head. "I'm positive, Aizen-sama. I haven't met her before."

Both the two females just made a _'Hmmmm…' _sound upon his answer.

Hitsugaya sighed. He didn't know why this kind of thing has to happen to him. This was the very first time he actually faced the council in an awkward predicament. Yes. He was facing the High Council of Devils right now, in addition to the President of Internal Affairs and his commanding officer.

Lined up in the left side were the members of the High Council. They were known as **Abigor** devils which lead a minimum of **60 legions** of hell's army; **ranked third** from the top in the vast hierarchy and were considered as one the most powerful _beings_ in Hell.

**Abigor 1---**

**Yamamoto Shigekuni**; the oldest amongst the four and considered as the Grand Duke of Hell. His head was bald and his beard long but well-kept. Aside from being an Abigor, he was also known to be a **_Paymon_**, a master of ceremonies in hell. He was rumored to be the strongest of the Abigors with his zanpakutou being the most powerful amongst all fire zanpakutous. Though sheathed, his zanpakutou looked nothing more than a walking cane.

**Abigor 2---**

**Sasakibe Chojiro**; another old-looking fellow but younger than Yamamoto. He was also a Duke in Hell; a noble rank (not devil rank) below Yamamoto's. Little was know about his zanpakutou because no one actually survived in facing him in a battle. Currently, Hitsugaya belonged to his legion and was under his chain of command. This was probably the reason why he looked disturbed amongst all the occupants of the room.

**Abigor 3---**

**Aizen Sousuke; **he looked relatively young compared to the other two. His physical age was probably someone around his mid-thirties, but like how the immortal they were, he was someone who had existed in hell for thousands of years. His face had always projected gentleness; very rare for a devil. Like Yamamoto, he had another designation. He was also known as a **_Jezebeth_**, the devil of falsehoods. Aizen actually started out as a demon of falsehoods. Some say that it has something to do with the power of his zanpakutou, but nothing was confirmed for no one had actually seen his technique. (Probably only Enma and the Chancellor were aware of it.) But somehow, from being a demon he had raised his power and became a full-pledged devil which entitled him to be an Abigor. The Jezebeth title stayed with him, though.

**Abigor 4---**

**Komamura Sajin; **he was also know as the great fox devil. His body was that of a fox but he walked like a man. His eyes were known to be one of the sharpest especially in the dark like an animal hunting his prey. He stood the tallest amongst the four. Like Sasakibe, he also had noble blood; the Duke of the fox clan. His zanpakutou was known to embody something huge and enormous in its third release. Some said that one could be cursed upon seeing it or even speak of it that they would rather remain silent about his sword's true abilities.

On the right side, two females stood. The first one was the head of Internal Affairs and the other one was Hitsugaya's superior and commanding officer.

**Ise Nanao; **a woman whose physical body looked like someone in her late twenties or early thirties. She was known to be a **_Caym_**, the President of Hell which deals with Internal Affairs. She had nothing to do with the army for that task was assigned to the Chancellor of Hell who had the high council under him. Her primary task was to oversee hell's livelihood operations and soul judgment system. She was a very powerful devil; **ranked second **from the top of the hierarchy, directly below Enma.

**Mastumoto Rangiku; **a heavily-busted she-devil. She has blond hair and a hot body to go with it. Physically, she looked like someone in her early twenties and probably often fantasized by the other male devils and demons due to her large chest. But don't judge her by her looks and sexuality. This woman was a **_Malphas _**devil; a rank above an Andras devil She commanded **40 legions** of hell's army. She was under Sasakibe's command and **Hitsugaya's direct superior**. She was also known as a **_Semiazas, _**Chief of the Fallen Angels, for she was once an angel herself who cut her wings and joined hell. As to how she became a devil was still a mystery, same with the reason why she left heaven.

Hitsugaya looked at his direct superior; Matsumoto-Taichou. The woman seemed calm and serious, but he knew better. He knew that deep inside, the woman was rejoicing.

And indeed she was. Matsumoto was trying so hard not to make her lips twitch.

**_-- insert Matsumoto thought cloud here---_**

"Ho! Ho! Ho! Finally! My kawaii little Andras devil had gotten involved with something considered to be somewhat…'_scandalous'._" She happily thought with mischievous fangs visible in her mouth. "After all these years of seriousness in his boring legion…entertainment had finally emerged!"

**_-- hearts floated around the happy Matsumoto inside the thought cloud in contrast to the serious expression she had in the outside --_**

Hitsugaya knew that he was right on the dot in guessing what the woman was thinking about that he couldn't stop his brow to twitch.

"You said she was informed about the ancient pentagram by a cat?" The ever vigilant Nanao remarked as she adjusted her spectacles once more.

"Ah." The white-haired devil nodded.

"Hmmm…" Sasakibe searched his mind. "Do we know someone who turns into a black feline?" He turned his head towards the fox devil. "Your clan has more knowledge on beings which transforms into animals, Komamura-san. What input can you give about this?"

Komamura crossed his arms. "There are many _beings_ in hell that can do a simple thing as to transform into a cat while in the human world. It is hard to tell."

"Still…" Nanao spoke again. "…that shrine in the foot of Tenkou has a strong barrier despite being old. No low-level devil or demon can penetrate it just like that. Also, the pentagram she managed to conjure isn't normal either. It is something which belonged to the book of the ancients which enabled her to summon a devil like Hitsugaya-san. Won't that narrow down the search a bit?"

"It may. Actually…it will thoroughly narrow it down to the extent of giving us zero results." Komamura remarked.

"Good point." Sasakibe analyzed. "That pentagram was something that can only be known by devils ranked Andras and up." He rubbed his chin. "And if we are going to place suspects in our list, during the time mentioned of the girl when she met the black cat, all of us are having a meeting in the great Hall together with Enma-sama. Hitsugaya-san was probably the only powerful devil not present there since he was battling the heaven's army in the borders during that time."

"In short," Matsumoto suddenly spoke. "None of the high-ranking devils might have done it.

"Well…there is still a possibility that one might have informed someone of lower rank about the pentagram or even possibly…commanded that individual." Nanao suggested.

"Someone of lower rank…hmmmm…" Aizen scrutinized the situation thoughtfully. "…you can rule demons out because that shrine's barrier will prevent them to pass."

"So this leaves us with what?" Matsumoto asked. "Fuku-taichous?" Fuku-taichous were devils placed second-in-command in an Andras devil's army.

"We don't have many Fuku-taichous." Komamura said. "The only fuku-taichou I know that may have been powerful enough to breech that shrine's barrier would be Zaraki Kenpachi's fuku-taichou, Madarame Ikkaku."

"But Komamura-san," Aizen glanced towards the fox devil. "Zaraki-san was your Andras devil **and he died together with Madarame-san** twelve years ago. There is no chance they could have survived that battle with heaven at that time. We all checked for surviving reiatsu but to no avail. They were confirmed to be annihilated."

The fox devil snarled. "I know. That's why I said if we take in account everything; it will give us zero results."

"Yamamoto-san, you had been awfully quiet." Sasakibe remarked. "What are your thoughts about the whole thing?"

The old man inhaled for a moment as if to clear his perception before finally speaking. "Hitsugaya-san…"

"Hai." The white-haired boy acknowledged.

"Does she know your name?" The old man asked.

Hitsugaya blinked for a while at the solemn tone of the grand duke. "Well, I don't think so…I'm not sure. The name she inscribed in the pentagram wasn't even my name. It was **Abarai Renji's** name, your Ronwe, Yamamoto-sama. But like what I told earlier. She thought of my astral form while doing the ritual. I assumed that it was because she was there while I was leading my legion in battle yesterday."

"That's another mystery." Nanao butted in. "That girl had special abilities."

"She is no ordinary human." Matsumoto added with a nod. Inside, she was still rejoicing. _This will make things more interesting. Whoever that cat was, I'm sure going to thank him for bringing more life to my kawaii Andras' strict nature._

"Memory gaps, too…as she termed it." The white-haired devil supplemented.

"Hmmm…this is truly puzzling." The Malphas she-devil remarked.

"And considering that she was able get a _loop contract_ with you is really suspicious." Nanao's frowned deepened.

"A loop contract…" The ever calm Yamamoto remarked. "…something that had only been passed down by word of mouth."

"By word of mouth in the **noble hierarchy **and not to us." Nanao corresponded. "I'm a Caym yet I am not aware that such a thing can be done until now."

"It is inevitable." Sasakibe closed his eyes. "Only those that were born in the noble bloodline are aware of this. Which makes things a big mystery."

"It could be just a coincidence, though." Yamamoto said and gazed at the white-haired devil.

"Coincidence?" Hitsugaya blinked.

"**In her heart, the girl might really want to be with you, Hitsugaya-san." **The old man explained which earned a mischievous smile from Matsumoto.

But the white-haired boy thought it to be ridiculous. "What! That's unthinkable. How can a human wish to be with a devil? An Andras devil for that matter. Do I look like someone accommodating?"

"Well…" Matsumoto grinned widely. "…you are kind of _'cute'._"

A nerve popped out his temple. He swore. If this woman wasn't his superior, he would send her flying to the depths of hell. "May I remind you that she wasn't even aware of who I am and what I really look like. As far as I am concerned, she only saw my astral form. You know…that huge white devastating dragon. I can hardly call that _'cute'_."

"A-ra? Some women like rough scary _'stuffs'_." The she-devil said teasingly.

The room suddenly became icy cold…**literally**. But what do you expect from an Andras devil who could control the weather? It was obvious that the Malphas she-devil was really getting on Hitsugaya's nerves. The room was starting to freeze and it only halted when Sasakibe cleared his throat.

"As we were saying…" His Abigor superior remarked. Aizen only smiled. Komamura sighed. Nanao was rolling her eyes and Yamamoto remained calm.

"Maybe we should ask Abarai Renji?" Hitsugaya suggested. His aura went back in getting composed. "It was his name inscribed in the pentagram, after all."

Everyone nodded.

"They should be arriving any minute now." Yamamoto said. "I've already summoned both my Malphas and Ronwe."

"And we are here." A deep voice spoke from behind.

All eyes darted to the new arrivals. Not far from where the meeting was being held, two men wearing same black shihakushou stood. The man in the left wore a white haori like Hitsugaya's and Matsumoto's. He had grey hair even though his physical age seemed like someone who was either in his late twenties or early thirties. He wore a stripped hat and wooden sandals. Like Yamamoto, he also held a cane. His companion, on the other hand, had red hair tied up. He didn't wear a haori, but what was dominant in his features were the black tattoos which adorned his body and a distinct visor placed on his head. His physical body looked like someone in his late teen years or early twenties.

"Ah…Urahara-san…Abarai-kun." Aizen greeted with a smile. Hitsugaya could only wonder how the hell a devil could sustain such gentleness.

"A-ra? The whole council is here together with Ise-sama." Urahara's eyes traveled around. "But Shunsui-san isn't here?" He was referring to the Chancellor of Hell who oversees the High Council, the one and only **Adramelech** devil. "And neither does Enma-sama?" Enma as mentioned before, was the head of hell; Satan…Lucifer, God's adversary.

Nanao immediately answered his query with an annoyed expression on her face. "Shunsui, as usual, is goofing off somewhere." It wasn't news that the Chancellor and the President don't go along very well. "As for Enma-sama…" This time, she sighed. "I don't know where Enma-sama could be. But wherever it is, I'm sure it is not as lame as to where Shunsui might be." Her aura grew darker.

Urahara chuckled nervously. "Haha…I see." Both he and Renji sweat-dropped and continued to walk towards the center of the room to where everyone was.

**Urahara Kisuke; **a **Malphas** devil under the Abigor, Yamamoto Shigekuni. Like Matsumoto, he commanded **40 legions** of hell's army. And like his superior, his zanpakutou's sheathed form was a simple-looking cane. But no one would dare cross his path once he decided using his zanpakutou. It was rumored that it has something do with blood, but nothing was definite. He was also known as a **Belphegor, **a devil of ingenious discoveries and wealth. Like Aizen Sousuke, he used to be a demon, but his achievements in archeology and findings had raised his rank from someone in the internal affairs to someone that fought in the army. The places he had been to uncover ancient knowledge were dangerous places a normal devil wouldn't dare venture. It was due to this that he had raised his power and refined his skills that his reiatsu became eventually too high for a demon. Given this, Enma decided that he should be ordained as a full-pledge devil. So here he was; serving hell's army as a high-ranked officer.

**Abarai Renji; **known to be the fierce red demon, a **Ronwe** under Yamamoto's command and in direct supervision of Urahara Kisuke. Like what Hitsugaya told Hinamori, this particular demon commanded **19 legions** of devils under him. Quite exceptional for a demon, but due to his attitude, Hitsugaya regarded him low.

Urahara took his place beside Matsumoto on the right and Renji followed him. Between the two lines, Hitsugaya's icy glare pierced right through the red demon which caused him to squirm a little.

"Oi." Renji remarked. "What's with that glare?"

"You. What have you been up to lately?" Hitsugaya's cold tone sent chills towards the red demon.

"Mah…mah…" Matsumoto interrupted them. "There is no need to jump to conclusions, Hitsugaya-kun. Just because his name got included in the pentagram, it doesn't mean that he was already involved. For all we know, he could be framed by the black cat."

"Black cat? Pentagram?" Urahara cocked his brow while Renji just gave them a puzzled look. "What are you guys talking about?" The red demon asked.

Hitsugaya sighed. _Here we go again. _He thought as another set of explanation got delivered by Nanao to the new arrivals.

* * *

Hinamori sat behind the closed tatami door. It wasthe place where the white-haired boy had left her and strictly gave an instruction of not moving from that very spot. She wasn't able to complain since she was still dizzy and nauseated as an aftermath of getting dragged in that horrible flash step thing called _'shunpo'_. Her world started to fall in place as Hinamori took a deep breath and concentrated at the floor beneath her. She was currently slumped down at the traditional flooring of the Japanese-styled building. She thought that she might be hallucinating, but no. Her vision confirmed that unlike the burning walls, bushes and trees which they passed through earlier, this place wasn't like she was expecting. Everything looked normal around her. Like they just emerged in some kind of a town except everything looked like a village in the Edo Period. 

Hinamori blinked and gazed around. The hallway was vast but no one was there. No paintings adorned the walls but paper lanterns hang in every curve and corner. And judging on how the lanterns were elaborately designed, the girl figured that they must be expensive. _Very expensive._

"What is this place?" She murmured to herself. Every now and then she would feel a jab or jitter which came from the tatami doors where the boy disappeared earlier. _It must be reiatsu. There must be devils inside there as well._ She thought.

She took a deep breath and studied herself. She was lucky to be in one piece. Many times this morning she kept pinching herself to test whether she was dreaming or not, but she never woke up. Everything was indeed real.

"What have you gotten yourself into, Momo?" She whispered.

But does she regret it?

Hinamori closed her eyes. _No…so far…I couldn't feel any sense of regret. _In contrary, she felt…

…happy.

Upon realizing this, Hinamori's eyes flew open. "I'm really not normal." She knocked her head with her fist. "How on earth can a human be happy in this kind of arrangement with a devil?"

She sighed once more.

Not far from her, a ray of sunlight streamed across the room from an opened window. Hinamori blinked.

"A-ra? Sunlight? I don't remember seeing a sun earlier while we were walking down that hot path." And then, she noticed something else. Her surroundings don't look dark and reddish at all. The sun's ray actually has a golden color. Hinamori leaned forward to get a view of the opened window. She could see a blue sky and a few fluffs of white clouds.

_Wait a minute…white clouds?_

She was sure that there wasn't a cloud in sight when they entered the huge gates. In fact, they sky looked like a blanket of blood.

Question marks flew around poor Momo's head, and then an idea hit her.

"Wai! Could this place possibly be…**Rukongai**?"

She recalled the white-haired devil's words.

"**_Normally…there is no need for me to go through this river." Hitsugaya started to say. "My rank gives me the privilege to just use the warp zone which will directly take me to Rukongai…_**

"_**Rukongai?" **_

"_**Ah." Hitsugaya was standing at the front of the both with his back at her. "That's where all devils and demons reside." **_

"WAIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! Are we in Rukongai?" Hinamori squealed. "Could it be, that this is where Shiro-chan lives?"

"Hai! Hai!" An overly cheerful voice suddenly boomed behind Hinamori. "This is indeed Rukongai!" And then, it toned down a little. "Demo ne…this isn't where Hitsugaya-kun lives. Well, technically, he lives in Rukongai, but this place has many districts. His home is in **District I, Junrinan**."

"Junrinan?" Hinamori recalled the giant demon's words earlier. "Ah…ah I see. Thank you very much in…" She whirled around and was surprised to see a little girl with pink hair as the origin of the voice.

"Hello!" The little girl greeted her loudly.

"Oh! He-hello." Hinamori returned the greeting.

The child in front of her was younger than Hitsugaya; physically—for she was greatly aware that they could be thousands of years of age. She wore the same black kimono and white haori like Hitsugaya. The difference was that her haori wasn't plain white. It had several floral designs. Also, she wore an arm band with some kind of symbol she had no idea what meant. Almost near her feet, a short katana dangled carelessly, if not being practically dragged.

"My name is Yachiru." The child remarked. "You are Hinamori Momo, right?"

Hinamori blinked but eventually bowed. "Hai. That is my name. Nice meeting you, Yachiru-chan. But, how did you know my name?" She asked.

The pink-haired girl smiled radiantly. "Easy. **I know everything that happens in hell**."

"Really?"

"Um." Yachiru nodded.

Then, Hinamori remembered a certain detail. "A-no…is it okay for me to call you by your first name? Don't you want to give me your last name instead?"

But Yachiru just looked at her thoughtfully. "But you call Hitsugaya-kun by his first name, don't you? I find the nickname really cute---_'Shiro-chan'_. Maybe I should start calling him like that, too!" She concluded enthusiastically.

Hinamori knew that the boy devil will throw a fit once he hears this.

"But don't worry!" Yachiru waved a finger on her face before she could speak any further as if reading her mind. "I don't think he really hates the nickname despite how many times he seemed to be complaining about it. Hahaha" Her smile suddenly turned dark. "**And I don't think he is disrespectful enough to get angry with me."**

"Eh? What do you mean?"

But the pink-haired child just chuckled and patted Hinamori with several fast motions which made the poor girl eased forward with slight pain. "Hahaha don't worry about it!"

--pat—

--pat—

--pat—

Hinamori squinted. How could a small child hit strongly like that?

"Ah! Gomen…gomen!" Yachiru apologized when she realized that she was _'slightly'_ beating up the girl. "I almost forgot that you are human."

"Had my presence in hell caused any problems?" Hinamori asked in a small voice.

"Eh?" Yachiru blinked as she saw the girl's worried face. "I said don't worry about it." She gleefully grinned. "A contract is a contract and hell will abide according to the rules. In fact, I think your presence here might freshen things up. **It may even straighten loose ends**."

"Loose ends?" Somehow, Hinamori observed that the pink-haired child was talking in riddles.

"Haha…in due time…**in due time**." She suddenly grabbed Hinamori's hand. "Shall we go! Shall we go!" She pulled her playfully.

"Eh? Go where?" Hinamori asked.

"There!" Yachiru pointed at end of the hallway where a staircase rested. "There's a balcony in the top-most level of this building! Don't you want to see Rukongai? In contrary to human belief, we devils and demons live in a quite pleasant place."

"B—but…I was instructed not to move an inch from this spot. He might get angry with me and…" But she was cut off by the gleeful child.

"**Then I shall override his command**!" Yachiru announced whole-heartedly.

"Override his command?"

The pink-haired girl suddenly made a sentai-like pose. One arm made a circular motion. "Over ride command…" She made several martial arts-like pose which seemed fake to Hinamori. "…NOW!"

Of course, nothing happened.

"Okay. That's good enough. It's the thought that counts anyway." The little girl declared and drastically pulled Hinamori with her. "Let's go! Hurry!"

"W-ait!" But Hinamori's resistance came to no avail as she found herself getting dragged by the strong child…

…getting farther and farther away from the spot where Hitsugaya had strictly instructed her to stay.

* * *

(UP Next: Chapter Five: "Enma States Ground Rules")

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**

Nyahaha… Yeah, I'm jumbling them all up. :P I actually have excel spreadsheets which contained their internal structure (charts) and who is supposed to be what. --;;

I hope all of you aren't confused with all these make-up things I'm infusing in this story. I am making my own description of heaven and hell plus the explanation behind some existence in respect to those already used in Bleach. I find it hard and entertaining in a way. (though my brain cells are getting sapped) BTW, I didn't make up the names of the devil ranks, though. :D I just tweaked some things.

As usual…tnx for all the reviews and may you all post some more! R and R onegai shimasu!


	5. Enma States Ground Rules

"**_Sealed in Mt. Tenkou"_**

By Majah

**Disclaimer:**

I don't own Bleach but I do own the story in this fic and things that are non-Bleach. All the name of places, historical events and other things mentioned which you don't seem to know IRL, are products of my imagination. Any similarities with the actual thing are purely coincidental.

**Author's Note:  
**

Hallo! The different devil ranks and designations must have been confusing. Here's a little guide of the hierarchy of those characters introduced so far.

Enma (Head of Hell)

Shunsui (Chancellor/Adramelech) – Ise (President/Caym)

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Shunsui

Yamamoto (Abigor) – Sasakibe (Abigor) – Aizen (Abigor) – Komamura (Abigor)

---------------------------------------------------------------------  
Yamamoto

Urahara (Malphas)

_Not yet introduced _(Andras)

_Not yet introduced _(Fuku-Taichou)

Renji (Ronwe)  
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Sasakibe  
Matsumoto (Malphas)

Hitsugaya(Andras)

_Not yet introduced _(Fuku-Taichou)

_Not yet introduced_ (Ronwe)

---------------------------------------------------------------------  
Aizen

_Not yet introduced_ (Malphas)

_Not yet introduced _(Andras)

_Not yet introduced _(Fuku-Taichou)

_Not yet introduced_ (Ronwe)

---------------------------------------------------------------------  
Komamura

_Not yet introduced_ (Malphas)

Zaraki(Andras) _deceased_

Ikkaku(Fuku-Taichou) _deceased_

_Not yet introduced_ (Ronwe)  
---------------------------------------------------------------------

P.S. I'm changing some details about Rukongai.

* * *

**From Previous Chapter:**

"There!" Yachiru pointed at end of the hallway where a staircase rested. "There's a balcony in the top-most level of this building! Don't you want to see Rukongai? In contrary to human belief, we devils and demons live in a quite pleasant place."

"B—but…I was instructed not to move an inch from this place. He might get angry with me and…" But she was cut off by the gleeful child.

"**Then I shall override his command**!" Yachiru announced whole-heartedly.

"Override his command?"

The pink-haired girl suddenly made a sentai-like pose. One arm made a circular motion. "Over ride command…" She made several martial arts-like pose which seemed fake to Hinamori. "…NOW!"

Of course, nothing happened.

"Okay. That's good enough. It's the thought that counts anyway." The little girl declared and drastically pulled Hinamori with her. "Let's go! Hurry!"

"W-ait!" But Hinamori's resistance came to no avail as she found herself getting dragged by the strong child…

…getting farther and farther away from the spot where Hitsugaya had strictly instructed her to stay.

* * *

**Chapter Five: "Enma States Ground Rules"**

"W—wait!" Hinamori protested helplessly as the vibrant little girl dragged her towards the top of the staircase. "I shouldn't really go that far." She grew worried on how the white-haired devil would react the moment he would found out that she had disobeyed his order. "I don't want him to get angry with me again. I seem to be causing him trouble since last night."

But Yachiru kept going. "I've already told you." The cheerful smile never left the child's face. "I've overridden his command!"

"But…but…" Hinamori almost lost her footing on the wooden steps due to the forceful pull of the persistent girl.

"It's okay. It's okay." Yachiru gleefully remarked.

But worry never left Hinamori's face, not believing the child in regards to the _'overriding' _of the white-haired devil's command. Who could blame her? The personality of the little girl in front of her wasn't exactly someone who would be capable of such authority even though _beings _in hell weren't what they were supposed to be. She remembered Hitsugaya, although he appeared to be in a boy's form, he had always possessed a sense of superiority and command in his aura. _An air of maturity, perhaps? _ Which was greatly different from the child pulling her hand at the moment.

Hinamori was about to say something when the pink-haired girl squealed.

"Aaaaaaaah! We're here!" Yachiru exclaimed as she burst out on a rather vast balcony. The child twirled with arms spread wide open and a huge smile on her face.

"This is…?" Hinamori's eyes were wide as saucers the moment she walked beside the girl.

"Rukongai!" Yachiru replied proudly as she stepped up the wooden railings and waved her arm about.

Words could not describe how mesmerized Hinamori looked the moment her surroundings started to register in her senses. It was completely unexpected. Though, she was aware that they were in a Japanese-style building, she didn't anticipate that Rukongai, which was supposed to be a part of the netherworld with _'Hell-ish' _red skies and flaming grounds, to be something utterly different; more humane to be specific.

Rukongai, as it turned out, was a town with the Edo Period ambiance. Old Japanese roofs, some were patched and some in good condition, towered in various levels. Narrow streets and unpaved roads crawled all throughout the vicinity under the shade of trees. It was notable that sakura trees stood magnificently at the center of the town, that even from afar, Hinamori could tell that they were in full blossom as its petals danced in the wind and carried its scent everywhere. People scurried around as they go about their business dressed in kimono, yukata or haori with their sandaled feet making traces on the dirt ground.

_People? _Hinamori blinked. _They all look like common individuals. _

As if reading her thoughts, Yachiru followed her gaze. "They are not human."

"Eh?" The hazel-eyed girl looked at the child beside her disbelievingly.

Yachiru shook her head. "We are only in this form, but we are not humans." She clutched the railings as she explained. "I think it is obvious from the moment you met Hitsugaya-kun, neh?" Her voice was suddenly serious. "Didn't he keep on telling you that we are not what we seemed? You have to get used to it. That is how hell is. We may appear in different bodies, but our true selves aren't the same. Mind you, that the residents of Rukongai are composed of devils, demons, bakemonos, and spirits." The child somewhat sounded dark. "Humans were never a part of this place. Even their tormented souls were only limited to the seven chambers and not beyond that."

Hinamori was silent as she listened intently.

"That is why, humans had a different perception of our kind." Yachiru continued. "It was rare for a mortal to see beyond the chambers. But…" The girl riveted to her previous smile. "…as you can see, a part of us live like how humans lived. Our lifespan is very different and is in many aspects considered as an immortal, but we also have emotions…families…duties…and friends. So, I guess, in that area we can be like humans."

"I…see." Hinamori was awestricken. No matter how many times she was told about this, she had a difficult time digesting the fact that the little girl in front of her, nor those she saw below, were all horrible devils inside. They all looked innocent and harmless as compared to the pointed tails and monstrous appearance depicted by society and religion.

Yachiru grinned widely as if knowing what Hinamori was thinking. "Don't worry you'll understand everything eventually. After all, you are going to be in hell for the rest of your life…and probably an eternity because I doubt if Hitsugaya-kun will die easily."

"Weh!"

The child leaned closer to Hinamori as if whispering. "He is quite powerful." Yachiru winked. "Being an Andras devil means that he is ranked **fifth from the highest** in Hell's hierarchy. There are over one hundred ranks, you know."

"One hundred!" Hinamori gasped.

"**Over **one hundred." Yachiru stressed and placed the tip of her finger under her chin. "But to be honest, I don't keep track of the ranks beyond one hundred. They are just too minor anyway." Then, she smiled gleefully once again. "So, you see…Hitsugaya-kun is superior in many ways. That was smart of you to pick him amongst all." She nodded approvingly.

"But…but…" Hinamori stuttered. "…I didn't picked him." She corrected. "I'm still confused on how I managed to summon him. I was specifically asking for an Abarai Renji." She repeated what she said to the white-haired devil when they first met. Apparently, Hitsugaya didn't enlighten the girl after realizing what really happened.

But to her surprise, the pink-haired girl shook her head. "No, you weren't. **You've specifically asked for Hitsugaya-kun**."

"Huh? What do you mean?" She asked, puzzled.

Yachiru opened her eyes and raised her small finger in front of Hinamori. "In the kind of pentagram which you've used, the written name of the _being _you want to conjure doesn't always mean that it is the _being _that will end up getting summoned."

This confused Hinamori more. "I don't understand."

The child leaned closer to her, as if she was telling a secret. "There are many types of pentagrams."

"Hai." That part she already knew.

Yachiru continued. "The one you made is one of the rarest and hardest ones."

"????"

The little girl nodded. "And it is not something that can be easily found written or recorded in Hell's archives." Her voice was almost a whisper but it was distinctively clear to Hinamori. "It was something very powerful yet handed down only by word of mouth."

"Eeeeehhhhhhh???" Hinamori clutched her chest. She didn't know that the pentagram taught to her by the black cat was in that caliber. She knew it wasn't common judging from the white-haired boy's reaction...but not this rare.

Yachiru nodded in a manner which seemed like she was telling the latest gossip. "Actually, only those with noble blood were aware of it."

"Noble blood?" Hinamori asked as she tried to follow what the little girl was saying.

"Yup." Yachiru nodded eagerly. "Do you want to know why?"

"Why?" Her curiosity was at its peak.

Yachiru leaned closer, almost inches from Hinamori's face. "Because it is the only pentagram that could make a loop contract possible."

"Weh!" Hinamori recognized the term. "Loop contract." She said in a small voice and lowered her gaze as she remembered the white-haired devil's explanation about Hell not gaining her soul once he had fulfilled his part of the agreement. She knew in a way, she was more of a liability since she wouldn't be of any use in Hell.

"Though, of course, it could also bestow other things." Yachiru pointed out. "But it was the only thing equipped with the chant to allow a loop contract."

"I'm so sorry." Hinamori bent her head and clasped her fingers.

"Hmmm?" The little girl blinked. "Why are you apologizing?"

"I've caused so much trouble. I must have disrupted Hell's system." She replied as she recalled the events earlier at Hell's gate.

Much to Hinamori's surprise, Yachiru laughed heartily. "Indeed, you have…haha."

"Aren't you angry?" Hinamori asked, bewildered that the child was taking this lightly. "Aren't you also a devil? And you also said that humans aren't supposed to be here. Shouldn't you be irritated or insulted that a mortal like me made all this commotion."

But the pink-haired girl kept on chuckling. "Angry? Haha…far from it."

"Eh? But why?"

Yachiru stopped laughing and gave her a side glance. "Like what I said earlier, your presence here might freshen things up." Then, she pointed to herself. "Your situation is greatly entertaining me as we speak."

Hinamori wasn't sure whether to be relieved or be worried that she ended up being an entertainment.

"Anyway…" The child cleared her throat. "…going back…" She shifted her position and stepped up the wooden railings. "…just because Renji-pon's name was written in the pentagram, it doesn't mean that he would be automatically summoned."

"What do you mean?" Hinamori asked once more.

"In that kind of pentagram, you don't need a written name in order to summon a devil." The little girl explained. "It is a plus but **not** a requirement."

"It is not?"

"Nope." Yachiru replied. "Another much powerful requirement exists."

"What is that?"

"You **must_ know_ the devil** that you are summoning." Yachiru remarked in a matter-of-fact tone.

This earned a frown on Hinamori's forehead. "I don't understand. What do you mean by I must know the devil that I am summoning?"

"It is as what I said." Yachiru played around the balcony's railings. "You must know him." She twirled and faced Hinamori. "A name wouldn't be enough. You should know whom the named belonged to and think of that devil as you chant."

The image of a white magnificent dragon flashed inside Hinamori's head. The mere thought made her face flush which Yachiru immediately caught.

"A-ra?" She mischievously grinned at Hinamori. "You've been thinking of Hitsugaya-kun?"

"Eh? Eh?" Hinamori felt embarrassed and tried to hide her flush.

"Kawaii!!!" The little girl jumped towards her and looked up with twinkling eyes. "Momo-chan likes the cold Marquis."

Hinamori thought she didn't heard that right. "Cold Marquis?"

"Uhum!" Yachiru nodded gleefully. "Didn't Hitsugaya-kun tell you? He is someone with noble blood, a Marquis here in Hell."

"Eeeeh?????"

"That is why he knows about the pentagram and honored the loop contract." The pink-haired girl explained. "You chose wisely!"

"But…but…I didn't know…I mean…I thought he said he was an Andras." Hinamori was having a hard time digesting all these information.

"Andras is a devil rank. A Marquis is a noble rank." Yachiru replied. "Devil rank and noble rank are different. Devil rank is for military duties. Though one would be greatly noted in Hell by this, a noble rank is a notch higher than the military. Hell has a social standing and nobles were always regarded with great respect as those who could voice out changes to Hell's internal structure."

"And…he is both?" Her eyes were wide as she realized the impact of Yachiru's revelation.

"Hai! Hai!" The little girl gave her a dark smile. "He is both."

"I…I didn't know." No wonder the white-haired boy was so angry at her. Doing what she did would really be like a big insult to him.

Yachiru perked up again. "Haha Don't worry." She seemed to be saying this many times to Hinamori. "He is just like that. He was never outspoken about his noble bloodline, though he doesn't need to be, considering that Hell's populous are very much updated with these things." Then, she patted Hinamori. "And to think that you _know_ someone like that…you're one lucky girl!"

There was something different in the way Yachiru said the word _'know', _but Hinamori seemed too occupied to notice it other than its literal meaning. Her face grew increasingly nervous instead of being glad of being acquainted with someone prominent. She had teased Hitsugaya and was disrespectful in many ways.

Yet again, like reading her thoughts, the little girl spoke. "He won't be able to kill you or even hurt you." She smiled sweetly. "The contract prevents it so you are safe."

"Ha-hai." Hinamori stammered.

Yachiru giggled. "This is so amusing." She was all peachy and gleeful. "He is someone cold and serious. Such contrast to your soft personality." Then, she closed her eyes and her tone shifted. "I wouldn't say it is fate or coincidence. Though others may use this reason, the reality between Heaven and Hell suggests otherwise."

The child suddenly spoke seriously with words which seemed to come from someone who had seen things more than what she says. Somehow, this brought a chill on Hinamori's spine. "I don't understand." She said in a small voice.

"Yes." Yachiru straightened her posture and clasped her hands behind her back. "Many don't. But I don't blame them, it is something which would be difficult to understand unless you've gotten involved yourself and experienced it firsthand." She quickly glanced at Hinamori's direction. "But there's no hurry." She became all peachy again and her radiant smile was back on her face. "You don't have to hurry."

"Me??" Hinamori's eyes could only reflect puzzlement and confusion.

Yachiru only grinned.

"You are confusing me, Yachiru-chan." Hinamori remarked.

The child chuckled. "Everything here will confuse you. You are a mortal after all. But like what I said, there is no hurry. You will understand things eventually." Then, she suddenly jumped in front of Hinamori with an anxious expression on her face.

"So…" Yachiru grinned mischievously. "You've been thinking of Hitsugaya-kun, right?" They were back to the topic once again.

"Eh?" Hinamori was caught off-guard which made her face shine a light color of rose.

The child persisted. "Kawaii!!!!" She began to hop around Hinamori. "See! See! I was right! You specifically asked for Hitsugaya-kun!"

"But…but…I didn't mean to say his name!" The poor girl tried to protest, but it all went to the drain.

"Aha!" Yachiru exclaimed victoriously. "Then you do admit that you did say his name while chanting…and I bet…" She teasingly leaned closer to the helpless girl. "…you even thought of him while doing it."

Hinamori stepped backed, still in denial. "But I never knew what he looked like. I mean, I don't even know that he looks like a little boy."

"But you've thought about his astral form." Yachiru's teasing smile never left her face.

"Astral form?" Hinamori tried to recall what Hitsugaya said. "He did asked me the same thing, but I'm so clueless about it that instead, he asked me if I've thought about the white dragon I see inside Mt. Tenkou."

"Which you did." Yachiru said knowingly.

Hinamori shifted from what foot to another. "Umm…sort of."

Yachiru's triumphant smile widened. "So you were thinking of Hitsugaya-kun." She cleared her throat and began explaining things. "As you can see we have this form." She gestured towards herself. "This is what you can call…our _'everyday' _form. In this form we are in our most stable state." She glanced darkly at Hinamori. "Stable meaning not in our berserk devil self wherein we release our reiatsu in its minimal form. I gather Hitsugaya-kun already briefed you about reiatsu?"

Hinamori nodded.

The child continued. "Not all _beings _in the netherworld possesses great reiatsu. May it be spirits, fellow devils, demons and even human souls in the chambers. Most, if exposed to extensive amount of reiatsu will get themselves disintegrated or horribly harmed. Let's just say, they can burn your skin, peel your flesh and scrape your bones. But those are only from medium-leveled reiatsu…just imagine what kind of reiatsu elite devils have."

Again, Hinamori nodded. The white-haired devil already warned her about this.

Yachiru walked with a serious expression on her face. "To be fair with everyone and to keep things harmonious in Hell, we've all agreed to have this kind of form; a human-like appearance wherein we lower our reiatsu and go on with our daily lives. This has been implemented ever since the beginning of time that in a way, this human-like form had became our physical body." She stopped walking and glanced back towards Hinamori. "But this isn't the real us. Our real selves don't have a physical body."

"You don't have a physical body?" Hinamori blinked. "Which means…the astral form is…" She let her sentence dangle, unsure of what to say.

Yachiru nodded. "Our astral form is our real selves." She confirmed Hinamori's suspicion. "Even though I've told you that we live like humans here in Rukongai, going back to the original setup of Heaven and Hell, devils and demons are what mortals could say as monsters. Well, humans often classify something that looks out of the ordinary or unexplainable as monsters." The little girl shrugged. "I wouldn't blame the human world for describing us horribly, we are the dark ones after all."

"Are you saying that the white dragon is Hitsugaya Toushirou's astral form…his real form?" Hinamori asked.

The child smiled. "Yup! I'm so glad you are catching up."

"I…see."

"Ordinary demons and low-ranked devils have the same astral form—the common horns with pointed tails appearance." Yachiru swayed childishly as she looked up at Hinamori. "For those who belonged to the higher ranks, it changes according to our power. Our strength shapes our astral form. To look something beyond horns and pointed tails requires a certain amount of reiatsu. Reiatsu can be raised either by training, gaining experience or accumulating souls."

"Accumulating souls…" Hinamori's voice came in almost a whisper. "Is this why he said that he doesn't need to do the wish thing?"

"Yup." Yachiru nodded. "You've seen how huge and powerful the white dragon looks like. It would only reflect how enormous Hitsugaya-kun's reiatsu really is."

Hinamori was silent for a moment. She seemed to be pondering about something and was somehow reluctant on whether to voice it out to the child in front of her or not. Yachiru sensed this.

"What is it? What is it?" Yachiru pulled her arm anxiously. "Say it! Is there something you want to ask Yachiru-chan?"

"Well..ummm…" Hinamori looked unsure but eventually gave in when the child persisted. "…I was just thinking…"

"Yes…?"

"I was just thinking…" She frowned a bit. "In the way you explained earlier saying that humans depicted your real forms as something horrible and monstrous, I don't find that white dragon scary at all."

"Eh?" Yachiru cocked a brow. "You don't find a huge dragon with sharp fangs and piercing cold glare accented by thunder and lightning, scary?"

"Erm…no?" Hinamori smiled weakly with a small shrug.

Yachiru's grin became wider with her eyes sparkling with interest. "What do you find it then?"

Hinamori hesitated for a moment but eventually replied truthfully. "I think the white dragon looks magnificent." She stared down on her feet, embarrassed but nevertheless questioned herself as to why she even bothered giving an honest answer.

"Kyaaaaaaa!" Yachiru squealed and hugged Hinamori which almost made the mellow girl lose her balance. "Hinamori-chan thinks Hitsugaya-kun looks magnificent even in his real form!" She exclaimed on top of her lungs.

Then, suddenly, much to Hinamori's surprise, the pink-haired girl jerked her head towards Hinamori's back as if looking towards _someone_.

"Hinamori-chan likes the white cold dragon!" The child kept on repeating. "Did you hear that?" Yachiru grinned devilishly. "Neh…**Hitsugaya-kun**?"

_Hitsugaya-kun? _ Hinamori turned her head sharply behind and gasped when she saw a familiar white-haired boy standing a few paces from them, apparently shocked at what he heard. From the looks of things, he must have been there for quite some time now.

"ANYAA!!" Yachiru danced between them. "This is so cute!"

Hinamori was speechless as she glanced towards Hitsugaya who was currently staring at her unblinkingly. "A-no…" She felt her cheeks grow warm beneath the intense gaze.

"Now…now…let's clarify things once and for all." Yachiru grinned mischievously. "Hinamori Momo had **specifically **asked for Hitsugaya Toushirou during the time she was chanting in front of the controversial pentagram. There was nothing accidental about it."

This brought Hinamori back to herself. "But it is still accidental. I didn't know that it would result that way…I didn't mean to!"

"Hush! You dare talk back to **Enma-sama?**" A woman's voice rang from the stairs where they emerged earlier. The woman wore black-rimmed glasses and appeared to be in her late twenties. Like Hitsugaya, the same black shihakushou clothed her body with a white haori draped on her upper torso. A katana was also sheathed at her waist; a zanpakutou as they all called it.

Hinamori blinked. "Enma-sama???" Where had she heard that name before?

Hitsugaya's cold tone sliced in the air. "Enma-sama." He seemed to have recovered and was back to his indifferent self. "As in Satan, Lucifer…the Head of Hell."

Hinamori's eyes widened. "Eh????" She gazed down at the beaming child. "Yachiru-chan is Satan?????"

"Yup!" Yachiru grinned.

"Don't address Enma-sama so comfortably!" The woman with glasses snapped as she joined them on the balcony.

Hinamori stepped back a little as she noticed the glare casted on her direction by the newcomer.

"Now…now…Nanao-chan," The pink-haired girl started to say. "No need to be so harsh."

"But this is great disrespect!" Nanao exclaimed. "Not only does this girl suspiciously conjured a loop contract with Hitsugaya-san, she was also talking to you so casually. She had disturbed Hell's system and created troubles for both the military and internal affairs." Hinamori squirmed uncomfortably as she sensed the woman's reiatsu rising which was starting to sting her skin. "Enma-sama," Nanao knelt beside Yachiru so that their eyes were in the same level. "There must be some way we can nullify this contract. Having something like this attached to Hitsugaya-san would only burden him and might even hinder him in performing efficiently at the front. He is currently in charge of the boundary where heaven and hell's most important battles take place. A human tagging along would only slow him down. It can even make him lose his focus in the battlefield and…" She was about to say more things but Yachiru cut her abruptly.

"**A contract is a contract**." It was Yachiru's turn to snap. Her child-like demeanor was gone and her face grew very serious as her commanding voice boomed in a deeper tone.

Nanao looked startled at the sudden outburst. "Enma…sama…"

By this time, a few more forms emerged from the stairs. They all appeared to be wearing the same clothes like Hitsugaya except for one red-haired guy who don't have a white haori.

"Yare…yare…"One of the newcomers wearing a striped hat and wooden sandals remarked. "Enma-sama sounds so serious."

"I am serious." Yachiru stressed which made Nanao slip back a little as the ruler of Hell's reiatsu started to rise. All of them felt this and on reflex, all started to raise their own reiatsu to protect themselves from the sudden shift of the child's aura.

Poor Hinamori winced as she found herself stepping near the wooden rails due to the growing amount of stinging reiatsu on the balcony. She was a human and had no way been equipped nor has the capability to deflect or shield herself from another _being's_ reiatsu.

_It is exactly as he said. _ Hinamori thought as she recalled Hitsugaya's words back in the mountain. _Is this what reiatsu really is? _She closed her eyes as she tried to shield her body using her arm, but aside from the forceful gush, it was starting to sting. All of them were creating heat which made the skin in Hinamori's arm smoke. _It's burning me. _She squeezed her eyes shut as she waited for a more painful wave of reiatsu, but it never came as she realized that the white-haired boy had stepped in front of her, and used his own reiatsu to shield her from the crossfire.

"Shiro-chan…" She whispered.

But the devil remained silent with his back towards her. She wasn't expecting for him to rescue her in this situation. She remembered his words well.

'**_I won't do anything to you nor would I start something that may harm you…but…I don't care whatever happens to you if you bumped into someone with a powerful reiatsu. I wouldn't care any less if you crumble down in pain.'_**

Surely, this was the opposite of what he told her before which made her confused, but nevertheless, she was completely grateful that he did decide to go between her and the little havoc of reiatsu from the head of Hell and her minions. Hinamori was relieved yet she still found herself trembling as she slipped down on the wooden floor and clutched the back of Hitsugaya's haori like a small kitten hiding from a group of hounds.

"How thoughtful of you to do that, Hitsugaya-kun." A mellow voice interrupted the intense surroundings. Its source was a man with a gentle smile on his face who has warm-looking eyes beneath his glasses.

On an instant, everyone looked at Hitsugaya's direction which made the boy shift his eyes elsewhere uncomfortably. He was saved from further ponderings, though, as Yachiru herself exclaimed.

"I forgot!" She placed both her hands on her cheeks in realization. "Hinamori-chan is a human!" Her menacing reiatsu suddenly evaporated. "Gomen ne. Are you hurt?" She hopped towards Hinamori with worried eyes which earned bewildered expressions from the occupants of the balcony except for the gentle-looking man, the stripped-hat one and the oldest one with a long white beard.

Hinamori swallowed. "I'm fine." She tried to smile as the child approached her, but her slightly trembling hands gave her away as she clutched Hitsugaya's haori hard. During all this time, the white-haired devil remained expressionless ,but nevertheless, he didn't pry Hinamori's hands away; much to her relief.

"Awwwwww…" Yachiru gleefully glanced at Hitsugaya. "…protecting her already?"

"It is not what Enma-sama thinks." Hitsugaya reservedly said. "We still have to ask her many questions. She is no good to us if she is too injured to talk. After all, everyone here are the most powerful _beings_ in Hell. A simple show of reiatsu will be enough to tear her apart." This somehow gave Hinamori a sunken feeling.

"Hitsugaya-san has a point." The bald old man spoke. He leaned on his cane as he stepped forward. "Perhaps, it would be better to control ourselves for now until we get some answers. Surely, the purpose of this so-called black feline is questionable. Is it only due to mischief or is it something else? This girl is our only lead."

The others nodded except for Nanao as it was obvious that she disapproved of the girl.

But Yachiru cut in, back in her commanding voice. "There is no need to ask her more."

Everyone blinked.

"Enma-sama???" Nanao looked questioningly at the pink-haired child.

"I've gathered enough information." The child persisted. "I already clarified things."

"Which is? I mean…" Nanao glanced around her looking for support. "…do you know who the black cat culprit is?"

But Yachiru didn't answer, instead she pointed out something. "I don't think Hinamori-chan knows that information. You won't be able to get answers from her if she herself doesn't know about it." It looked like Nanao was about to retort something else but she opted to shut her mouth as Yachiru gave her another deadly glare. It was shocking how this child could change from being sweet then menacing in a blink of an eye.

_Beings in Hell really are not what they looked like in the outside. _Hinamori thought as it finally dawned at her for the first time how dangerous her position really was. Her curiosity was slowly being overtaken by the grave situation she was in. _I'm scared. _ She inched closer towards her shield. _What have I gotten myself into? _She snuggled her face at Hitsugaya's back. _Neko-chan…why do you have to put me in this kind of predicament? _The white-haired boy glanced at her briefly but didn't utter a word.

Yachiru started walking at the center of the balcony. She looked at every devil around her. "I understand that what happened here is taboo." She began to say in a very grown-up demeanor. "But the fact still remains that a contract is a contract. Don't make me repeat myself." She paced slowly with her hands behind her back. "Therefore, as the cardinal rule, we will honor this. What could a little human do to us?" She pointed out. "As for being a distraction, surely all of you don't think this low of **_the_** Hitsugaya Toushirou, an Andras devil and Marquis of Hell? It is not like Hitsugaya-kun is some kind of lazy undisciplined devil. A human tagging along shouldn't affect his performance. As a matter of fact, I believe his unit still won and drove Heaven's armies back with severe number of casualties on their side even though he was away being summoned by Hinamori-chan during the most recent battle. Doesn't that prove that Hitsugaya-kun is capable of leading his army flawlessly even during the most unexpected turn of events?"

Everyone was silent as they listened to the most powerful _being _in Hell. Everyone except a woman with blonde hair and busty chest. "But I won't be able to say the same to the lesser individuals of hell, though." She said to the child.

"Matsumoto-chan?" Yachiru looked at her inquiringly. All heads turned towards her.

Hitsugaya narrowed his eyes. Anything coming out his direct superior's mouth would mostly give him more trouble.

And he was right on the dot as the she-devil was smiling inwardly but tried her best not to show it.

"Once this girl started living here in Rukongai, she would definitely cause commotion. It isn't everyday that you see a human girl walking around in flesh and blood…and very much alive for that matter…in Hell. She would be subjected to personal gains by other devils, she would even look tasty to some. I bet many would try to get her and the mere act of going for her would create havoc. We all know as devils how one thing can lead to another. We are driven by these urges and a human can very well be a catalyst to create chaos which may exceed the usual troubles and fights we nether beings subject ourselves in." Matsumoto keenly replied.

Everyone nodded in agreement except Hitsugaya who knew that pointing this out would give an extra toll to the contract.

"Hmmm…I see where you are coming from Matsumoto-chan." The child acknowledged this. "Then, perhaps I should set a few ground rules." A devilish smile crept back to her young face; a glint of mischief became evident in her eyes as she paced in front of Hitsugaya with same commanding tone yet a childish expression replaced her intense glare earlier.

"Enma…sama…?" Hitsugaya blinked, thinking that he wouldn't be liking the next thing that will happen.

"Ground rules." Yachiru's smile widened. "We have to set some and you must follow it. She is now your responsibility so you must keep her away from trouble."

He was afraid of this. "But Enma-sama…there is nothing in the contract which dictates a need for this."

"Yes, but **I** **want it**." The little girl stressed. "It is like what Matsumoto-chan said. Her presence might cause a chain reaction of events. I am ordering this not because of the contract but as a leader who doesn't want her minions to cause unneeded harm towards each other." She cleared her throat. "Further harm, that is…considering that inflicting pain towards each other is something normal with our kind."

Matsumoto rejoiced as she saw her cute little Andras devil getting uncomfortable with the notion. Beside her, the man wearing a striped hat leaned towards her and whispered.

"You're so bad." He said.

"Oh shut up, Kisuke." She whispered back.

Urahara Kisuke chuckled silently and adjusted his hat. "But I'm not complaining. I am enjoying this as well."

"I bet you are." Matsumoto mischievously grinned. "We are finally seeing him in such a scandalous predicament." She remarked, trying to keep her voice down. "He had always been so serious, boring and by the book."

"In contrary," Urahara replied with a mysterious smile beneath the shadows casted by his hat. "**I've already seen him in the same level of scandalous dilemma before**."

Matsumoto turned her head sharply towards the fellow Malphas devil. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, nothing." He slowly inched away out of Matsumoto's inquiring eyes.

Oblivious of what the two Malphas devil was whispering to one another, the rest of the occupants of the balcony had their eyes fixed on Yachiru as they anticipated the ground rules the child was about to set.

"First off," The little girl paced in circles in front of Hitsugaya. "I don't want Hinamori-chan to be too far away from Hitsugaya-kun."

"Excuse me?" The white-haired boy blinked.

"She must always stay within Hitsugaya-kun's sight." Yachiru remarked. "In a way, it also reinforces the contract considering her wish is to be with you anyway.

"She doesn't have to be that near to me every time." Hitsugaya gritted his teeth.

"It's either that or I'll chain her to you so you won't lose her." Yachiru countered with a commanding glare.

"Within my sight. Got it." The white-haired boy muttered under his breath.

"Are you writing this down, Nanao-chan?" Yachiru glanced towards her Caym.

"Hai, Enma-sama." Nanao answered as she scribbled busily on her leather clipboard.

"Second, explain to her what she doesn't know and brief her about how things are ran in Hell. I don't want a juicy innocent-looking human stumbling on some _areas_ in Hell that might arouse too much attention."

"Ah." Dismay was written all over Hitsugaya's face.

"Lastly, Hitsugaya-kun is required to report weekly to Sasakibe-yaji about whatever things or problems he will encounter under Hinamori-chan's presence. Especially reactions in his legion or the likes." Yachiru spun around to face the white-haired boy. "Do we have an understanding, Hitsugaya-kun."

"Ah." He reservedly replied again. His irritation was boiling inside due to the additional tasks he has to do, but he couldn't complain. This was Enma, after all. No devil in his right mind would want to counter her.

During all this time, Hinamori was silent behind the white-haired boy. She didn't dare speak nor roam her eyes towards the other devils in the balcony aside from Yachiru and Hitsugaya. In a way, after hearing the ground rules, she was glad that she would be near him 24/7. She wouldn't like to venture alone now that she had experienced firsthand that things in hell weren't what they seemed. There was always something menacing and dangerous lurking beneath.

"Then we are all good!" Yachiru remarked cheerfully.

_I wish. _Hitsugaya gloomily thought.

"Enma-sama, what about the search for the black cat?" Sasakibe asked.

"By all means, continue what you guys had started." The little girl started pacing towards the stairs. "You all know how to reach me if you find anything." With that, she waved back towards Hinamori. "A little late, but welcome to hell, Hinamori-chan!" She remarked enthusiastically. "Don't worry, _Shiro-chan _will take good care of you." After that, she suddenly vanished into thin air.

"Shiro-chan?" Matsumoto raised a brow.

A nerve popped out of Hitsugaya's temple. "Don't you dare start, Matsumoto."

"Kiyaah! Casually calling a superior by name." She exaggeratedly projected a horrified expression. "And in front of the council members, too." She whimpered.

"Whatever." Hitsugaya haughtily looked away. It wasn't news that the Malphas and Andras devil under the second Abigor had always bickered.

Old man Sasakibe cleared his throat, a signal for his two subordinates to stop as he spoke. "We will follow Enma-sama's orders. For now, please retreat to your legion, Hitsugaya-kun."

"Ah." The white-haired devil bowed his head.

"That would be all." The Abigor remarked as he followed his fellow council members as they started to leave. One by one the occupants of the balcony vanished in the same way as the Yachiru did the moment they reached the top of the stairs.

All were gone except Matsumoto, Urahara and the red-haired devil not wearing a haori.

"I bet that was so scary, neh, Momo-chan?" Urahara remarked as he smiled down at the human girl who was still slumped on the floor with her hands clutching the back of Hitsugaya's haori.

"Ha-hai."

"Oh, poor little you." Matsumoto hopped and dropped herself on the floor beside Hinamori, extending her arms and drawing her into a very tight hug towards her busty chest. Hinamori was like a rag doll being dragged and swayed helplessly by the powerful woman.

"Oi, oi, Matsumoto-san. You are suffocating the little girl." Urahara remarked.

"But she's so cute!" The Malphas she-devil replied and kept hugging poor Hinamori.

"Urahara-san got a point, you know." Hitsugaya muttered with his earlier annoyance resurfacing.

"Awww…you are already so protective of her, Hitsugaya-kun." Matsumoto didn't waste any time to tease her subordinate.

"Don't give her wrong ideas." He gritted his teeth and shot death glares towards the Malphas she-devil.

But Matsumoto only smiled deviously. "I wonder. If I take Hinamori-chan with me in my quarters, wouldn't that mean that you have to _sleep _with us given that you mustn't lose sight of her?"

"Eh???" Hinamori managed to exclaim despite that tight grasp of the she-devil.

"I'll release my zanpakutou if I have to just to cut your arms to free her." He shot her a very cold stare. "I wouldn't care any less if you lose both of your arms."

"Kiyaah!" Matsumoto exaggeratedly tighten her hold of Hinamori. "You are willing to raise your weapon against your Malphas? The things men would do to get their women."

Instead of giving in to his superior's teasing, Hitsugaya smirked and coolly spoke. "You'd be surprised with the things men would do to get rid of annoying women."

Both reiatsu started to grow as they glared at each another. Hinamori shifted uncomfortably as she was caught once again in the crossfire.

"Hinamori-chan's being crushed again." Urahara playfully exclaimed and pulled Hinamori away in one swift motion which caught Matsumoto off-guard.

"Hey!" The she-devil frowned. She hated it whenever Urahara does that, breeching her barrier. In the naked eye, it would look like he just grabbed the girl's arm, but in truth, the fellow Malphas did some elaborate hand work to pry the human off the she-devil's arms.

"Haha…gomen gomen." Urahara chuckled. "Here…you take care of her for now while these two sort their differences." He remarked and threw Hinamori towards the direction of the red-haired guy.

"Wha-?" He caught Hinamori as she slammed towards his torso which made him blush a bit. "Why me!"

Matsumoto whistled. "Renji's blushing. Still not used to girls? Are you sure you're even a demon?"

"Renji?" Hinamori looked up as she recognize the name. "Does that mean that you're…" Huge haze-eyes beckoned the red-haired demon which made him back out a little.

"Abarai Renji." Urahara remarked, watching amusedly. "He was the one you were trying to summon."

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeh???? You're Abarai Renji?" The girl stared at the demon whose physical self appeared to be someone near her age.

"That's my name. You got any problem with that?" He remarked in a rather loud voice.

"The idiotic red demon." Hinamori blurted out unintentionally as Hitsugaya's description of Abarai Renji instantly popped out of her head.

"WHAT! Who are you calling idiotic!" Renji angrily grabbed her wrists.

Matsumoto and Urahara could only give Hitsugaya a side glance for they knew very well where Hinamori could have gotten such an idea. The white-haired devil just looked away snobbishly. "Not my fault if she also sees him as an idiot."

This reached Renji's ears loud and clear. "What did you say! Just because you are an Andras doesn't mean I'm going to back down from you." Renji's own reiatsu started to rise.

"Bring it on, idiot." Hitsugaya remarked coolly.

_Oh boy, here we go again. _Urahara sighed. "Mah mah…there is no need for this. Poor Hinamori-chan is getting caught in the crossfire again."

"Hmph." Hitsugaya narrowed his eyes. "Your _Ronwe _will be getting more than a duel from me, if things start pointing back to his direction."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Renji rivaled the glare being thrown at him by the Andras devil.

"Matsumoto…" Hitsugaya said without looking at the she-devil.

"Hmmm?"

"Could you do me a favor and watch over that girl for a while?" The boy asked.

"Eh? Disobeying Enma-sama's rules already?"

"Just take her downstairs and don't make her move an inch. I could easily peek at the stairs to see her. Not much disobeying I see there." He pointed out.

"Well…okay. I don't mind babysitting for you for a while." She happily took Hinamori from Renji's side. "Come here, my cute little human." Hinamori just let herself to be lead by the she-devil. She threw a couple of worried glances towards the white-haired boy before finally disappearing below together with the Malphas devil.

Once they were out of earshot, the boy faced the red demon. "May I remind you that you are not entirely off the hook." Hitsugaya said with his voice as cold as ice. "Your name was given directly by that damned cat. For all we know, you are a part of this whole conspiracy."

Renji gritted his teeth. "I don't know this girl nor any _beings_ which turns into a cat. Don't go pointing fingers at me without proof. Any of our names can be easily given by anyone in Hell. It's not like we keep our names from fellow nether _beings_."

But Hitsugaya doesn't look convinced.

"Oi…oi…" Once again, Urahara went in between them. "I think we've all established that no one here knew the black cat. It was obvious that Renji's name was just used considering that he is a demon and not a devil."

Hitsugaya glanced away haughtily. "I'm not taking this idiot off my list that easily."

"Oh really?" Renji smiled sarcastically. "Maybe you should start being nice considering that that snobby attitude of yours had gained you enemies which could possibly be behind all of these."

"Reality check. There are only very few idiots around and most of them are way below my rank to do damage of this caliber."

Instead of being insulted, Renji grinned widely. "Then I thank you…for considering a demon like myself powerful enough to do damage to you, oh great Marquis."

"Oi…oi…that's enough you two." Urahara butted in once more.

To him, Renji turned this time. "I don't know why someone like you tolerate someone like him." He was referring to Urahara's demeanor towards Hitsugaya. "He is arrogant anyway. A great contrast to you. I don't see why you favor him so much and even let him get away with some issues considering that Urahara-san is a Malphas, someone ranked higher than him."

"Renji…"

"I'm serious. Really. Why think highly of him?" Renji persisted, uncaring if Hitsugaya himself was hearing this. "I think he just full of shit."

"**Renji**." This time, Urahara had grown serious and gave the red-haired demon an intense gaze as a silent communication that the Ronwe had said more than enough.

Renji locked gaze with his superior then finally letting go. "Fine. Whatever. I don't care anymore." He turned on his heels and strode towards the stairs. "Do whatever you want." He shot Hitsugaya another angry gaze before disappearing in the flight of stairs.

"I'm sorry about that." Once, the Ronwe was completely out of sight.

"He got a point." Hitsugaya remarked casually.

"You know very well that his accusations aren't exactly accurate." Urahara replied in a hopeful tone.

Hitsugaya smirked. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Don't you really?" Urahara's eyes seemed far away.

"Ah." Hitsugaya glanced down at his zanpakutou with his thumb rubbing the edge of the handle. His green eyes seemed to be reflecting unknown emotions.

"Should I refresh your memory then?" Urahara smiled weakly. "Two thousand years is awfully a long time even for a devil."

"What does that got to do with anything?"

The man adjusted his striped hat. "I just find it amusing that you've exist in this world way before I did, yet you look younger than I am."

"Enma-sama had existed way before us both, yet she still appears younger than we are." Hitsugaya pointed out.

"Enma-sama chose that form in order to completely sap down her enormous and almost insanely powerful reiatsu." Urahara remarked. "If you are going to use the same analogy, would that mean that Hitsugaya-kun had that much reiatsu inside that small body? If that's true and I am going to make the same calculations using Enma-sama's example…your reiatsu would take you beyond an Andras rank and beyond a Marquis title."

But Hitsugaya only replied with the same detached tone. "I don't know what you are talking about."

Urahara shook his head. "You are so difficult to crack."

"Because there is nothing to crack." The white-haired devil pointed out.

Urahara gazed down at the boy beside him. Hitsugaya was looking ahead and refused to meet his eyes. There was almost an invisible barrier setup around him that the man decided a different approach.

"What Renji said…don't you ever want to correct him?" He asked

"What's there to correct?" Hitsugaya shrugged. "Isn't it true?"

"I can't believe you are even denying yourself that." Urahara sighed.

This time, Hitsugaya didn't respond.

Urahara continued. "I was also once a demon, you know…even before I became a full pledged devil."

"Don't we all know that already?"

"Yeah…but this particular demon wouldn't have been a candidate for devil-ship in the first place if not for a certain incident." Urahara remarked.

"You are really going that far into memory lane?"

The older-looking devil smiled. "Have you finally recalled it then?"

"I remember your appointment, but I don't see it related to me whatsoever." Hitsugaya said blandly.

Urahara made a semi-pouting face. "And just when I thought you are finally going to admit it."

"I don't know what you are talking about, Urahara-san." Hitsugaya said for the nth time that day.

Urahara heaved a deep sigh. "So stubborn and difficult." Then, he suddenly perked up. "But I still won't give up on you!"

Hitsugaya smiled sideways. "What is it you want, Urahara-san? You want a replacement for Ichigo?"

"My beloved Andras had been missing in action for quite some time now." Urahara said as his eyes wavered for a moment. "But I am not giving up on him, too."

"You want two Andras? Matsumoto will brand you as greedy."

"I don't want two." Urahara corrected him. "I only want one."

This time, Hitsugaya met the man's gaze squarely. "I thought you said that you are not giving up on Ichigo? Isn't it quite unethical for you to scout for another Andras?"

"Who told you that I am scouting for an Andras?" Urahara remarked with a dark smile.

"Isn't this why you continue to pester me?" Hitsugaya's eyes narrowed. "What else would you be scouting?"

Urahara locked his gaze towards the white-haired boy and answered whole-heartedly. "**I am scouting for an Abigor**." He said.

This seemed to have surprised Hitsugaya but nevertheless he just squeezed his zanpakutou and remained silent. The other devil didn't utter a word as well as they both stared at each other. Time seemed to pass when finally it was Hitsugaya who first broke away. Again, he glanced down at his zanpakutou but didn't open his mouth to say anything. Urahara seemed contented with what he said that he started making his leave, but before he had completely gotten out of earshot, Hitsugaya suddenly spoke.

"That is not going to happen, Kisuke." He said. It was notable that he called the other by his first name.

Urahara smiled inwardly. "Not if I can help it, Shiro."

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**(UP Next: Chapter Six: "Sharing More Than One's Lifespan")**

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**Author's Note:  
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Since I have many running fics which seemed to be getting fans, I decided that I would update the fic which will get the most votes in the poll in my Gaia thread (link available in my profile). This particular poll will reset after I made an upload. So for those Bleach fans out there who are following this fic, if you want this story updated first then please vote. The CCS fans are overthrowing you guys, lolz, that this fic kept getting side-tracked. :P

Anyway, thanks for all the support and may all of you never get tired of reviewing!


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